The NewKid
by Boo112
Summary: Please Read & Review!
1. The NewKid

**So I've ran out of ideas for 'After the Heartbreak' but I hope to come back to it pretty soon-ish if I can! I don't know where to go with it. But if you guys have any ideas for it then please let me know. . **

**But I've read a few fic's like this one is going to be and I really like the idea of it...So I'm gonna give it a go. Let's take Peter and Carla back to when they were teenagers! For the sake of this fic, they are both a similar age, with Peter just being a year older than Carla. **

**Carla O'Brian is good-friends with The Connors. (Liam, Paul & Michelle.) But Carla is still single. Peter Barlow is the new-guy around college. Carla is 16 and Peter is 17.**

* * *

Carla O'Brian was sat on one of the picnic tables that were just outside of her college along with Michelle, Paul and Liam. She had always been close to the Connor family, and she enjoyed spending her lunch-times with them.

"So Paul have ya done that business essay?" Carla asked him teasingly, knowing fully-well that he wouldn't have even looked at the question let-alone made a start on it. She had always had a bit of a crush on Paul, and everyone expected that one-day they would eventually get-together, but nothing had ever happened yet.

"What do you think Carla?" Paul responded with a cheeky-smile. "Why? I guess yours is already completed and handed-in right?" Paul teased.

"Shut-up. No it isn't actually. I only started-it last-night…..And that was only because I had nothing better to do….." Carla said, desperately flirting with Paul.

"Yeah sorry we couldn't come-over last-night Car, we got dragged-along to this family meal." Michelle explained. Carla's home life was pretty rough, which was why she concentrated on getting her work done so often. If she could shut herself away in her room for an hour or so, then it meant that she didn't have to face her disaster of a Mother and idiot of a Father.

"Yeah sorry…..About that….." Liam trailed-off, soon going-back into his own little dream-world.

Across the grass-area a little, there was a young guy walking towards the building. He wore a dark leather-jacket and some worn-out jeans, with sun-glasses tucked-into his black t-shirt but hanging on show. He appeared to be by himself.

"Who's that?" Michelle asked, out of the blue, as she pointed-out Peter.

"Oh, that's the new guy apparently….." Paul said, hoping that he wasn't about to be forced to go and introduce himself to him by Michelle.

"Oh Right. Well does this new-guy have a name?" Michelle asked with a cheeky-smile. "Because I'm sure I could think up a few nicknames for him meself…..Not too bad is he Car?" Michelle questioned. But Carla was too busy admiring Paul to hear her question.

"Oy. Carla." Michelle said, snapping Carla out of her trance-like-state.

"Uh What? Sorry? Oh Yeah. He's Alright I Guess…..He's a bit of a loner don't ya think?"

"Ya what? Alright? Just Alright? JUST Alright?" He's a bit more than JUST Alright Carla. Come-on let's go and introduce ourselves." Michelle commanded to Carla as she stood-up and then dragged-Carla over to the mystery-new-guy with her.

"Oy. You. People are gonna start thinking that you're a bit suspicious if you stand there like that on your own for much longer." Carla mouthed-off to the new-kid.

"Sorry?" Peter replied as he looked-up at Carla as the pair of girls drew-nearer to him, stopping in their tracks just a little-less than a metre away from him.

"Oh. I'm sorry about my friend; she's just a bit of a loud-mouth that's all. Just ignore her. I'm Michelle Connor." Michelle introduced herself, holding her hand-out for Peter to shake, and he did so.

"Oh urm. Hi Michelle. Who's your friend?" Peter asked, his eyes catching their gaze, and his voice making them both pay just a little-more attention towards him.

"This is Carla." Michelle said, introducing Carla reluctantly. Michelle wanted her chance to be able to flirt with Peter, and not let Carla steal all of the glory, once-again.

"Oh. Well Hi Carla, it's good to meet-you. I'm Peter. Peter Barlow." Peter said in a friendly-voice, figuring that Carla wasn't exactly the type for hand-shakes.

"Hey Girls. Leave the poor-bloke alone!" Liam shouted-over from the picnic-bench amongst laughter from himself and Paul.

"Oh well, me brother's are calling-me. It's nice to meet-ya Peter! Cya again soon yeah?" Michelle said, speaking flirtatiously as she cheekily-winked at Peter whilst trying to drag Carla away with her.

"Hey Carla you're not going aswell are you?" Peter asked.

"Well I don't have too….." Carla responded, releasing herself from Michelle's grip and walking back-towards Peter. "Michelle and her brothers are just close-friends, that's all….."

"Well maybe we could be friends too ey?" Peter asked shyly, he wasn't the best-person to socialise with at first. That was until you got to know him, then he was, of-course, the life and soul of the party.

"Uh yeah I guess so…..Stops ya looking so suspicious don't it?" Carla said with a small-giggle escaping from inbetween her lips.

Peter chuckled at her comment. "Yeah…..Yeah. Well I suppose it does doesn't it?" He added with a genuinely happy-smile. He liked Carla. She was different to all the other-girls that he had met so-far. She wasn't afraid to be herself around other-people. And that was what Peter liked about her the most…..So-Far Anyway. It was like the pair of them just 'got' each-other.

And with that Carla's phone bleeped a few times. "Ooh sorry let me just read this text." Carla said to Peter. The text was from Paul.

"Yeah sure." Peter replied.

_**Paul: **Hey. Liz wants your essay. R u comin' in or wat? Xx._

_**Carla: **Oh. Urm. Yh I guess so…..5 Mins. XxX. _

_**Paul: **Y? 2 busy with the new kid r ya? Bit of a looser if u ask me. Xx. _

_**Carla: **Shut-up. And yh I am as it happens. He's rele nice leave him alone. XxX. _

_**Paul: **If u say so. Hurry-Up. _

Carla didn't reply to the last text as she didn't want Peter to get bored and leave before she had the chance to say goodbye to him for the day.

"Listen I should probably get back to my class…..Lunch has just finished…..But um…..It'd be nice to meet-up with you outside of college?" Carla asked Peter nervously.

"Uh yeah sure, that sounds like a good-idea to me…..Where do you live then?" Peter questioned Carla.

Carla looked-down upon hearing the question. "Oh, you don't really want to know that do you?"

Peter looked full of concern for Carla. "Why? What's wrong with where you live?" Peter asked, worriedly.

"Well, it's not exactly the nicest of areas let's put-it that way shall-we? And I'd rather you didn't meet my parents….." Carla trailed-off for a second to think. "Anyway, how about you tell-me where you live instead then ey?" Carla asked, trying to change the subject away from-her, so that she wouldn't have to go into the nasty details about her home-life.

"Coronation Street…..Number One…..I live with me Dad and my potential Step-Mum…..And her daughter…..Tracy….." Peter told Carla, his Mum had only died last-year, and his sister before that. Life was still hard for Peter, but he didn't mind Deirdre, at the very-least she shared fags with him…..She saved Peter money, and that was a good-thing as far as Peter was concerned.

"Oh right…..Well I know where Coronation Street is…..I'll urm…..I'll have to pay it a visit at some-point….." Carla told Peter awkwardly.

"Yeah you will, listen, I really need a cigarette, so I'm gonna head-off. But it's been nice-chatting and everything yeah?" Peter said innocently.

"Yeah it has been." Carla replied truthfully. She wasn't quite sure if she liked the idea of him smoking, the things her Mother smoked were illegal at the very-least, and so Carla had never trusted smokers, not up until now anyway. Peter seemed different. He was kind and caring, and this was only first-impressions which Carla was going-on.

"Cya soon then?" Peter said, before he walked-away from Carla, pulling-out his packet of cigarette's from his pocket as did-so, which was soon followed by a lighter as he pulled-out a fag.

"Yeah. Bye Peter." Carla said as she watched-him walk-away until he was completely out of her sight.

* * *

Back in college, Carla eventually arrived into the room where her Business Class were, which included Paul and Liam, Michelle was doing a Performing Arts course.

"Ah, here she is. You took ya time didn't ya Car?" Liam asked Carla.

"Yeah sorry about this Liz, there was a new-kid hanging-about, so I was urm, getting to know him a bit. Liz nodded with a smile.

"So who is this new-looser then?" Paul asked, annoyed that Carla seemed to have taken-an interest in him. But Liam wondered whether Paul's annoyance was being mistaken for pure and honest jealousy?

"His name's Peter. Peter Barlow." Carla replied, imitating the way-in which Peter had introduced himself to both her and Michelle. "And he's lovely so you can back-off and leave-him-alone already alright?" Carla told both Paul and Liam sternly.

"Oooh well sooorrryyy!" Liam replied sarcastically, and Paul laughed.

"Hey I said back-off!" Carla said in a raised-voice.

Paul could see that Carla was getting upset by this, so calmed-down a little.

"Hey. Look. I'm sorry Carla alright?" Paul said, before he then hugged Carla.

"Thanks Paul." She whispered, a small-smile appearing across her face as she looked-him directly into the eyes. There was a definitely a spark there between the two of them, they both had just failed to realise-it yet.

* * *

**I hope you liked the first-chapter. **

**:). Please-Review. :). **


	2. The Street Where You Live

That evening, Carla was walking-back-home. But she didn't particularly feel like going home after college this-time. She knew fully-well what kind-of state her Mum would be in when she went home, and her Dad wouldn't be much better either. And after a relatively good day at college, Carla didn't fancy having her day ruined. She had considered going over to the Connors, but she went there most days, and she didn't want to use the families' closeness to her so much that they would end-up falling-out with each-other.

Eventually, Carla remembered the conversation with Peter, that new-kid, which she had-had with him earlier. And remembered that he had told her that he lived on Coronation Street. _'Maybe I could pay him a visit?' _Carla thought, and despite thinking that it was perhaps a little soon to be turning-up on his door-step, she made her way to the street anyway to see what kind-of place he lived-in, it had to be better than where she lived.

Carla had soon arrived on Coronation Street and immediately noticed that there was a subtle buzz about the place, which Carla preferred to the rowdy Gang's that she was used to as Neighbours.

"HEY Carla!" Carla was suddenly drawn out of her little-trance when a voice called-her from behind.

Carla turned around to find Paul walking towards her. "What are you doing in this dump?" Paul asked her.

"I could ask you the same question." Carla replied as she flirtatiously winked at Paul.

"I saw ya walking past ya house on the way home from college and wondered where you were off to. So I followed ya!" Paul told Carla cheekily with a small-smile on his face.

"You did what?" Carla asked.

"I said I followed you here…..I really like ya Carla, I wouldn't want you to be getting-up to any mischief now would I….." Paul trailed-off nervously around the girl who he had fallen hook and line and sinker in love with.

"Well I'm flattered that ya care about me Paul….." Carla said with a sweet-smile, what Paul hadn't realised yet is that Carla rather liked-him too.

"Of-Course I care-about ya, you're one of my best-mates." Paul continued.

"Alright Paul I get the point, now get-lost will ya!" Carla joked, and Paul laughed before the two-close-friends said their goodbyes before Paul ran-off in the direction that he had come-from.

Just as Carla was watching Paul run-off into the distance and out of her sight, she heard shouting coming from the one of the row of houses behind-her. She span around again to see what all the fuss was about…..

"PETER don't go off like this!"

"NO DAD. You always put Tracy first! I'm your REAL SON! I'm the one you should be caring for, not her! Deirdre can deal with HER! Not YOU!"

"PETER!" Ken shouted worriedly, before Peter then slammed the door in his face and ran-off. He ran straight past Carla and ignored her, before he leant against the wall a couple of metres away and burst into floods of tears.

"Peter?" Carla questioned to herself as she watched the seventeen year-old cry his heart-out.

"Peter is that you?" Carla asked a little-louder so that Peter could hear-her.

Peter slowly looked-up as he heard Carla's voice and tried to wipe-away the tears as Carla approached-him.

"Oh. Carla?" Peter asked shakily as he tried to sniffle-in some of the tears falling from his eyes and down his face.

"Hey." Carla said softly. "Are you okay?" She asked Peter as she stopped-in her tracks with her arms folded to keep herself warm about a metre away from where Peter was stood, trying to stop himself from crying, but failing to do so badly. She was concerned for him despite having only-met the kid once. The fact was he was a nice kid, and didn't deserve to be as upset as this.

"I'm fine. You?" Peter answered her question.

"I'd be great if you weren't lying to me. Come-on Peter you're so obviously not okay. Now what's up? Things didn't look too good over there? Was that man you're Dad?" Carla questioned, maybe if she could help Peter with his problems, then it would help her to forget about her own-family-problems.

"Oh. You saw that. Well…..It's nothing alright?" Peter said. It was as-if he gone into his own little bubble that he wouldn't let anyone into. But Carla was determined to burst that bubble and get to know Peter a bit better. It would do her some good to have one or two friends other than the Connor Family.

Peter pulled-out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket, took-one out, and tried to light-it as Carla watched-him.

"What?" Peter asked rudely.

"You think smoking's gonna solve all of ya problems do ya? Because trust-me…..It won't….."

"Who are YOU to tell-me not to have a fag? You only met-me a couple of hours ago remember Carla? Man you're worse than me Dad….." Peter trailed-off angrily.

"Why are you so angry Peter?" Carla asked bluntly. "You were nothing like this earlier….." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"Yeah well people change…..And things happen okay?" Peter replied, slightly less-viciously than before.

"You don't have to tell-ME that Peter, trust-me…..Tell-me what's up Peter. Because I'd rather listen to you blubber-on than go-home at the moment to be honest….."

Peter looked Carla directly into the eyes and Carla nodded at him as if to silently tell-him that he could trust-her.

"It's my Mum's birthday tomorrow….." Peter said as some fresh-tears fell-down his face, and he wiped-them-away, but soon gave-up as some more-fell.

"And?" Carla questioned.

"Oh sorry did I not tell-you? My urm…..My Mum died last year….." Peter revealed as he looked-down sadly. "Sorry…..I'm just so used to everyone knowing now that I tend not to mention-it..."

"Oh Peter I'm so sorry. When you said that you lived with your Dad and Step-Mum, I just assumed that they had split-up, I didn't even think…..Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" Carla said, sad for Peter, but also annoyed with herself that she had been so genuine about him never mentioning his real-Mother.

"It's fine…..You weren't to know….." Peter said tearfully, biting his bottom-lip and closing his eyes to try and stop anymore tears from falling down his cheeks.

"Alright…..Well why have you run out of the house then?" Carla asked trying to change the subject.

Peter inhaled-in his cigarette and then blew the smoke-away, into the wind, trying to calm-himself down before he then answered Carla's question.

"Me and Dad had arranged to go and visit her grave tomorrow morning…..But Tracy, Deirdre's Daughter, is going down to London on the train at the weekend, and my Dad's just agreed to go with her because Deirdre's working and Tracy doesn't want to go on her own….." Peter said, throwing his cigarette down to the floor in frustration before covering his head with his hands.

"Isn't there anyone else that can go with her? Or with you for that matter?" Carla suggested, noticing that Peter was obviously distraught upon hearing this news.

"I suppose someone-else could come with me…..But I just wanted my Dad there…..I mean…..Why should he put Tracy first when I'm his son? His Biological Son! And my Mother was once his wife! It's like he's forgotten about her already and she's barely been gone a year!" Peter said, raising his voice once-again as he rested his hands against the wall to stop himself from punching-it.

"I guess it's hard for ya Dad aswell Peter. He wouldn't have forgotten about your Mother…..And I bet he'll be thinking about you and her all day tomorrow…..But he obviously wants this Tracy to like him, if she's ya Step-Mother's Daughter….." Carla trailed-off and she tried to help Peter with his frustrations and sadness.

"You sound like you're speaking from experience…..I bet you're from a loving-home where everyone gets along…..A Mum. A Dad…..Both as Happy as Larry. Well isn't that just lovely for you Carla." Peter said harshly.

"Peter. You really don't want-to know about my Family set-up. Your Dad looked really worried when you ran-off just now. My parents probably wouldn't even notice that I was missing in the first-place…..Then probably haven't even wondered why I haven't been home yet….." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"I'm sorry. I'm going-on about how perfect your life must be when I barely know anything about you. I'm sorry Carla….." Peter apologised genuinely.

"It doesn't matter. Anyway, I was about to ask if you wanted me to come with you tomorrow morning?" Carla asked delicately. "I mean. I know I'm not ya Dad…..But I've cried on enough shoulders over the years…..Maybe it's my turn to have a soggy shoulder ey?" Carla said with a sympathetic chuckle, and Peter smiled slightly at her words.

"Would you do that? For Me? I don't wanna ruin your plans Carla…..It's the weekend, surely you want to be out partying or summet?" Peter asked, still slightly tearful as he slid-down the wall and eventually sat himself against the hard and cobbles, bringing his knees-up to his chest.

Carla went and sat-down next to Peter. Of-Course I'll do that for ya Peter." Carla whispered into his ear sweetly. And there was a comfortable silence between the pair of them before Carla spoke. "Now please tell-me that you don't plan on sleeping-out here all night? Because believe-me Peter, I've done-it before, and it might seem like a good-idea now, but in the morning, it'll seem like the worst idea ever." Carla told Peter, trying to warn him off not going home tonight.

"Well I can't exactly go back in there now can I? I'll just end-up kicking-off again, then who knows what could happen." Peter revealed to Carla.

"Alright. Well if you're staying here then so am I!" Carla stated confidently.

"Uh. No Carla you don't have to do at." Peter told her, feeling-bad that she would end-up getting a rough-night too.

"Urm yes I do. Have you ever slept on the streets alone before Peter?" Carla asked.

"No." Peter replied.

"Well in that case you're gonna need some company." Carla said with a light-laugh. "It gets cold out here on your own ya know. But just promise-me one-thing Peter….." Carla trailed-off.

"Promise-me that you'll go back home in the morning before your Dad goes away for the weekend and make-things up with him?" Carla said, knowing how it felt when argument with either your Mum or Dad turned-into a massive feud that would eventually last for weeks, months even!

Peter sighed. "Alright I promise….." Peter said, knowing that Carla was right.

* * *

Carla watched as Peter drifted-off to sleep, his head dropping onto her shoulder as they sat closely next to each-other to keep-each-other-warm for the night.

Just before midnight, Carla was still-awake when she received a text from Paul.

_**Paul: **H__ey. Hope u stayd out of mischief this evenin'. ;) Fancy comin to the park with us tomoz morn? Xxxxx_

_**Carla: **No Mischief this end. And No. Soz. Busy. XxX_

_**Paul: **Oh…..xxxxx _

_**Carla: **Friend needs me. Soz. Next time ey? XxX_

_**Paul: **Spose. C u soon then. Nyt. Xxxxx_

_**Carla: **Nyt. XxX _

Carla then put her phone into her pocket and then rested her head on-top of Peter's head as she tried to get to sleep in the freezing weather.

* * *

_**I hope you liked-that Chapter! **_

_**:). Please-Review! :). **_


	3. Emotions

Peter awoke at around 5am the next morning…..Although, he hadn't really slept all that much. Carla was right, sleeping on the streets, even if it _**was **_just for one night, was _**VERY **_uncomfortable. He carefully shifted Carla's head away from his own, and then gently lifted his head off-of Carla's shoulder, hoping that he wouldn't wake-her-up. As he tried to look-around, Peter winced in pain from where his head had been-in exactly the same-position all-night-long. After breaking through the pain-barrier and moving his neck around a little, he stood-up to stretch his legs. It had been a really uncomfortable night, and Peter was grateful that Carla had offered to stay with him, out on the streets. He really hadn't her expected her to stay through the night, was her home life really that bad? And was she really so used to sleeping on the streets?

Peter thought about this as he tried to walk-off all the aches and pains that had come as a result of him sleeping against a stone-cold brick-wall on the hard cobbles of Coronation Street. As he was walking-around, he heard movement from behind-him; it was Carla waking-up.

He turned-around to face-Carla and crouched-down to her level, allowing her eyes to settle on his gentle smile. "Good Morning." Peter greeted her softly.

"Oh...Hey?" Carla replied croakily, slightly confused as to why she was here, as she shivered in the freezing morning weather. "Why are you awake already?" She asked tiredly.

"Couldn't sleep." Peter replied simply.

"Ah. Ya see I told that it wasn't a good idea….." Carla trailed-off, waking-up a little now as she smiled at Peter.

"Yeah I know ya did…..And you were right…..I suppose I should start trusting you more if I want you to be my friend ey?" Peter chuckled.

"Hey I'm already your friend. I know we haven't known each-other for that long, but I like you Peter. We should hang-out more often…..Just not on street corners at 5 o clock in the morning ey?" Carla said sweetly with a quiet giggle as Peter came and sat next to her.

"Yeah sorry about last-night…..My mind was just all-over the place…..I missed my Mum, and I just needed a good-old cry….." Peter said, looking-down, feeling-down for putting Carla under so much pressure to look-after him when they had barely known each-other a day….."And thanks for staying with me…..I honestly didn't expect you to….." Peter said gratefully.

"Don't worry about it." Carla said happily.

A few hours had passed and it was now around 8 o Clock. Carla and Peter were generally chatting to each-other, before Carla's phone bleeped-twice.

It was a text from her Mum.

'_Not coming home then….." _Was what the simple text read. Carla was just surprised that her Mother had managed to send a text that actually made sense…..But there was no-point in Carla replying now…..She had probably exchanged it for _'the addiction' _by now…..Well that's what Carla referred to it as anyway…..

"Who's that texting ya?" Peter asked nosily.

"It's my….." Carla paused, she didn't want to start ranting about her Mother when Peter was still missing-his like mad. "It's no-one….."

"It's no-one? Oh really? No-one text you did he? Well that's a new-one…..Sorry I shouldn't be so nosey….." Peter chuckled.

Carla giggled at Peter's attempt to try and be funny. "No you shouldn't…..But I shouldn't worry so much…..It was my Mum….." Carla trailed-off, catching Peter's eye as she did so. She could immediately tell that Peter had clung onto the word 'Mum.' Carla felt sorry for him…..He obviously adored his parents…..And he was obviously still grieving for his Mother…..Carla longed for that kind-of bond with her parents…..If Only…..

"Oh Right….." Peter replied after a short-silence. He was unsure of what to say next. "She must be worried about you?" He eventually came-out with.

"Nah…..She'll just be after some of me pocket-money….." Carla said, as if she was joking, but she really wasn't.

"Why would she not be worried about you? She's your Mum?" Peter asked innocently.

Carla took a deep-breath-in and stood-up before releasing the breath. She wasn't prepared to talk to Peter about her parents yet…..Only the Connors knew about Carla's home-life…..And as much as she wanted Peter to know…..She didn't want to burden him with her problems, when he obviously had enough of his own going-on at the moment.

"She just knows that I can look-after myself that's all….." Carla said, fading into a whisper as Peter stood-up behind her, and then walked-around to her front, standing directly in-front of her with a confused look.

"But surely she'd still be worried about you? I mean…..She would have been expecting you home last-night?…..Surely?….." Peter questioned worriedly.

"She expects me home...But it's not news to her if I'm not…..She'll just assume that I stayed over at Michelle's last-night…..I'm always doing that….." Carla said blankly. She didn't like being interrogated like this. She knew Peter meant-well, but she just felt so en-closed when people pushed for answers like Peter was doing right-now.

"There's something you're not telling-me isn't there?" Peter asked with a long-pause. "Sorry I'm being nosey again aren't I?" He said as he looked-away shyly. "You don't have to tell-me about your parents…..You don't have to tell-me anything…..Not if you don't want-to….." Peter said quietly.

"I just don't like people worrying about-me that's all Peter…..I'm just not used-to it…..I'm an individual, I can look-after myself." Carla told Peter confidently, and she would have been pretty convincing to anyone-else…..But not Peter. Peter knew that inside, all Carla wanted to do was cry…..But she just wouldn't let it out, not in the public-eye anyway. Not when she could be seen. But when she was alone, Peter could almost guarantee that she cried her eyes out, and he wanted to know why that was…..But he had to give-her-time. Time to prepare herself for-it, and time to learn to trust that Peter wasn't going to go-away and tell the whole world about her family-problems.

"I used to think I could look-after myself Carla…..Until last-year…..I used to think that my parents just fed-me and gave-me somewhere to sleep at night…..The rest I could manage myself…..But I couldn't Carla…..I couldn't cope. I don't know about your home-life. But I do know that you can trust-me…..You looked-after me last-night, and now it's my turn to return the favour." Peter said truthfully to Carla.

Carla felt a tear fall-down her cheek, and she was annoyed with herself for giving-into her emotions, but there was something about Peter which made Carla feel-comfortable to do so.

It wasn't long until Carla was crying her eyes-out and Peter gently wrapped-her arms around-her. She didn't need to tell-Peter about her home-life, he knew from this sudden-outburst that things weren't great at-all.

"It's okay to cry you know." Peter said as he held-her closely. It felt slightly weird that the pair of them had grown-so having only-just met yesterday-lunch-time.

* * *

Meanwhile…..Paul, Liam and Michelle were walking towards the park together, taking the popular short-cut through Coronation Street.

" Is Carla meeting-us there then?" Michelle asked.

"No…..She said she was busy with a friend….." Paul replied and Liam just laughed.

"What friend? You sure fell for that excuse didn't ya mate…..The only friends Carla has are You, Me and 'Chelle!" Liam said as his laughter continued.

"Well she was chatting to that hot guy at college yesterday wasn't she….." Michelle trailed-off.

"Yeah she was." Paul replied grumpily. It was obvious that Paul was jealous of Carla's new-friendship with Peter. Paul saw him as a threat. He really liked Carla, and really wanted to ask-her out, but if she got close to this Peter kid, then he didn't even stand a chance!

As the three siblings walked-around the corner, Liam's eyes widened as he spotted Carla hugging some bloke that he recognised as that new-kid from college.

"Uh…..Can-we go back to the house? I forgot…..urm…..I forgot me football boots….." Liam said, trying to distract Paul before he saw Carla with that other-kid.

"What dya need ya football-boots for? It's only the park mate?" Paul said, laughing at his brother's pathetic excuse to go-home before he turned his head back to see where he was walking when he spotted what Liam had been trying to prevent him from seeing.

"Is that Carla with that new-kid?" Paul asked Michelle.

"Think So." Michelle stated.

"What's he doing hugging-her, they only met yesterday?" Paul said, his jealousy getting the better of him as he ran-over to the pair of them. "Oy. Mate. What dya think you're doing?" Paul argued as he pushed Peter away from Carla.

"What are you on about mate?" Peter asked calmly, although he was slightly put-out.

"Why are you hugging Carla? You only met-her yesterday?" Paul asked, pushing Peter backwards once-again.

"Are you stupid or blind? Carla's upset…..I was comforting her…..Until you came-along and shoved-me out of the way." Peter argued.

"Paul?" Carla questioned tearfully as she recognised his voice even though he was faced-away from her.

"Carla?" He replied before focussing his attention back on Peter for a second. "I'm not finished with you yet." Paul threatened Peter before he turned-around to face Carla.

"Are you okay? Did that idiot upset you?" Paul asked, genuinely concerned for her.

"Peter's not an idiot!" Carla began firmly. "But no, he didn't upset me. So please can you just leave him alone…..He was just being a caring-friend…..That's all….." She trailed-off as she watched Peter take a few-steps forwards.

"Yeah. Did ya hear that mate? Caring…..I wouldn't hurt Carla…..She's really nice….." Peter told Paul, frustrated at his attitude towards him, and how he had just assumed that he had upset Carla.

Paul span-around to face-Peter. "Why don't you just shut-up?" Paul argued.

"Why should I? I haven't done anything wrong! You just need to calm-down and accept that Carla can be friends with who she likes!" Peter told Paul angrily as Carla walked-over to Michelle who hugged her comfortingly whilst Liam tried to get between Paul and Peter.

"Alright Paul. Leave him be ey?" Liam suggested to his older-brother.

"No. I won't leave him alone. Look at him, he thinks he's Mr Perfect. Well he wouldn't look so perfect with his face smashed-in!" Paul said with gritted-teeth, trying to scare Peter-off. But Peter wasn't scared.

"Oh Yeah? Well I'd like to see ya try mate!" Peter argued-back as Carla and Michelle watched-on, hoping this wasn't about to turn into something nasty.

Hut it was too late. Paul punched Peter in the jaw with full-force, and Peter fell to the floor, before Paul smirked, and then walked-off. "I'm going home." Paul said as he walked past Carla and Michelle.

"YOU'RE AN IDIOT PAUL!" Carla shouted, which stung Paul slightly. His aim was to impress Carla, not to make her hate-him. But he couldn't show that now. He'd have to go-home and calm-down first. And they maybe later they could chat, when Paul would beg for her forgiveness.

* * *

Carla and Michelle then walked-over to Peter as Liam helped-him-up. "Sorry about my brother mate. I don't know what's got into him. Are you okay?" Liam asked, concerned for the guy as he rubbed his jaw in attempt to try and soothe the pain a little.

"I'll be fine." Peter replied quietly.

"I'm Sorry." Carla apologised tearfully, as she caught Peter's eye. And Peter noticed that the tears from earlier had re-surfaced and were continuing to fall-freely-down her face.

"Hey this isn't your fault. Who was he anyway? Was he at the college yesterday, when I first met you and Michelle?" Peter questioned.

"Yeah he was….." Michelle replied. "Along with Myself, Carla, and Liam here. Paul and Liam are my brothers…..Carla's a close-family friend….." She informed Peter.

"Oh Right…..Well I'm glad that you two are nicer than your brother is….." Peter trailed-off with a small-laugh.

"Yeah…..Paul can be lovely too…..He's just jealous that you got to hug Carla when he only just manages to get a smile out of her….." Liam joked, teasing Carla as he did so.

"Oy You. I know Paul likes me…..And I like him too…..But I don't know how he expects to make me his if he goes around punching any bloke who I just so happen to become close-friends with all the time…..Honestly he needs to get a grip of his emotions!" Carla said frustratedly to Liam, Michelle and Peter.

"Yeah well don't go falling-out with him on my account now will ya Carla?" Peter told Carla confidently.

"Not if you don't want me to…..But I'm certainly gonna have a right-go at him when I see him next…..Listen guys, I told Peter that I'd go somewhere with him this morning, so you'll have to go to the park by yourself I'm afraid…..Sorry guys." Carla told Michelle and Liam.

"Hey that's not a problem. We'll see you at college on Monday yeah?" Michelle asked Carla.

"Yeah you will." Carla replied simply.

"And what about you Peter mate?" Liam asked.

"Yeah sure….." Peter responded quietly.

"Great. Well, I guess we'll cya soon then guys? I hope ya jaw isn't to sore later-on Peter!" Michelle said kindly before the brother and sister walked-off towards the park together.

* * *

_**Slightly OTT but there we go!**_

_**Please-Review!**_


	4. Returning Home

Later that morning, Peter and Carla went to visit his Mother's grave. Carla usually felt awkward comforting people who she didn't know very-well, but Peter was different somehow. Carla felt like she had known Peter for years already, when infact she had only met him for the first-time yesterday.

After around half an hour, the pair of friends decided that it was time to go.

Peter placed some flowers onto the grave before standing-up as he tried to fight back the tears before Carla stood-up a couple of seconds later. She looked-at Peter and could see that all he wanted to do was cry. He had managed to hold-it together for the last-half-an-hour, but saying goodbye seemed to be more difficult then actually being there in the first-place.

"Are you okay?" Carla asked nervously, her arms folded across her chest out of habit and self-consciousness.

Peter bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes as he tried to hold the tears-in. "Yeah I'm fine." He said, his voice shaking from where he needed to cry but he wasn't allowing himself too.

"You said to me earlier that it was okay to cry…..So why are you holding back?" Carla questioned.

"No. That was different. I'm a boy. Boys don't cry. I need to be strong…..For her…..For Mum….." Peter said, getting closer and closer to the tears falling with every-word that he spoke.

"And she'll know that you are being as strong as you can be for her Peter. But she wouldn't want you to hold all of your emotions in, up to the point where you're ready to burst into floods of tears…..And don't worry about me being here…..Because I'm not gonna judge ya…..I've cried enough times in my lifetime to know that sometimes you just need to let-it all out…..You'll feel better for it…..Trust-me…..Peter….." Carla told him softly as she tenderly placed a hand onto his shoulder.

Even the gentlest of touches from Carla was enough to set Peter off. She had only put her hand on his shoulder, but it triggered the tears, and they were soon pouring-freely down his face.

"You'll be okay ya know?" Carla re-assured Peter, deciding against hugging-him, but instead she just wrapped an arm around his waist as she walked out of the cemetery with him.

"Thanks Carla." Peter said quietly before the pair went their separate ways. Peter, to phone his Dad to say sorry, he wouldn't see him for the rest of the weekend now, so a phone-call seemed the best-way to settle things. And Carla was heading-home to face the music. Who knows what she would come-home to this time around.

* * *

_**Phone-Call. – Peter & Ken.**_

_**Ken: **Peter, where were you all of last-night? We've been worried sick about you! _

_**Peter: **I'm sorry Dad…..I bumped into a friend I met at college yesterday…..She looked after me for the night….._

_**Ken: **She? You mean you stayed with some random girl last-night? _

_**Peter: **Yes Dad. – She. And no not some random girl. – A new friend of mine. But anyway it's not what you think! She just made sure that I was alright…..That's all…..We're just friends! _

_**Ken: **If you say so. Anyway I'm just relieved that you've decided to call-me. I was beginning to think that something awful had happened to you….._

_**Peter: **Well I'm fine alright Dad? I'll see you on Monday yeah? _

_**Ken: **Okay Peter. Listen, I'm sorry we had to fall-out over all of this nonsense…I'm just glad that you're safe….._

_**Peter: **It was hardly nonsense Dad…..But it doesn't matter it's done now isn't it? Cya Dad._

_**Ken: **Bye Son. _

Peter then headed-back-home after a night-away, but all he could think about was when he was able to see Carla again. Peter could tell that Carla was hiding something from him…..From everyone. It was something about her home-life, about her parents, and Peter wanted to find-out what that was. She knew enough about him already, maybe it was time that she told-him about her life.

* * *

Back on the rough-end of the Weatherfield Council Estate, Carla had just arrived home after a night-away.

"Hi….." Carla said unenthusiastically, she obviously wasn't too happy to be home.

"Where've ya been?" Her Mum called drunkardly.

"Comforting a very upset friend…..I don't need to ask where you've been…..Here most likely with a bottle of vodka!" Carla said viciously. "And goodness knows what else….."

"Shut-it before I send ya to ya room!" Her drunken mother warned-her.

"Yeah well I'd rather be in my room than in here with you! I'll tell you what…..I'm gonna go and see the Connors! Call-me when you've sobered-up and maybe then we can chat about where I was last-night!" Carla told her Mother angrily before she walked-out of the house again.

The minute the door was firmly-shut behind-her; Carla got her phone out of her pocket to find that she had received a text from Peter; they had exchanged numbers on the way to the cemetery this morning.

_**Peter: **Rang Dad…..We're Gd. Just got home….._

_**Carla: **Gd. Hope yr k. _

_**Peter: **I will be. C u soon yh? _

_**Carla: **Yh sure! _

Carla then headed-over to the Connors house; it was only a short-walk-away so it wouldn't take her long. But to be honest, any-length of walking would be fine for Carla at the moment, as-long as she didn't have to go home.

* * *

When she arrived, Paul and Liam were on the grass playing football. "Recovered from your little punch-up earlier then I see?" Carla asked, as smoothly as ever, but really she was still annoyed with Paul for punching Peter like that.

"He got what was coming to him!" Paul called-over to Carla as she crossed the road which led-over to their house.

"Uh I think you'll find that Peter was just being a good-mate to me!" Carla told Paul, speaking more firmly this-time to let Paul know that she was angry with him.

"Yeah well you only met-him at college yesterday. So he shouldn't have been hugging ya…..Whether you were crying or not! Besides, since when were you the type to get so close to some random college kid anyway? Surely that's not your style!" Paul teased-her.

"Because he's not just the average college-kid…..There's more to Peter than you might think ya know!" Carla told Paul angrily.

"Oh. So you mean that he actually has a brain!" Paul said, continuing to purposely wind Carla-up.

"Oh just shut-up will you Paul! I came-round to see if you had calmed-down yet…..But obviously not…..So I'm off…..I can't be bothered to hang-around with an idiot…..Sorry about this Liam…..Tell 'Chelle I'll text her later yeah?" Carla told Liam and he nodded in reply with a gentle-smile.

* * *

Carla then began to wander-off as she thought about where she could go next. Home was out-of-bounds, the boy (Paul) she had a major-crush on was being an idiot, and Peter had his own problems to sort-out without having to listen to her moan-on all-day-long.

Carla decided to return back to that street corner where she had comforted Peter this morning. Despite everything that had happened with Paul, this place made Carla think of Peter, and that made Carla happy.

As she leaned-against the wall, her phone began to ring, so she answered-it.

_**Carla: **What do you want? _

_**Peter: **I want to know why I can see you from the kitchen window. _

_**Carla: **What? How can you see me from there? Hey you ought to watch-out. People could start to think that you're going loopy if they find-out that you watch the Street from the comforts of your own kitchen….._

_**Peter: **You could come-in for a bit if you wanted? Number One….._

_**Carla: **Are you sure Peter? I wouldn't want to just walk-into your house without so much as a warning given to the rest of your family….. _

_**Peter: **You wouldn't be…..I'm home alone…..Deirdre's at work…..And my Dad and Tracy are away for the weekend…..Remember? _

_**Carla: **Just about. Listen, why don't you meet-me at the front-door ey? _

_**Peter: **Yeah sure! _

Carla headed-over to Peter's house and was immediately greeted at the front-door by a smiling Peter. She was glad that he seemed to happy again.

"Hey! Come-on-in….." Peter trailed-off as he encouraged Carla to follow-him-into the house.

* * *

_**To Be Continued…..In Chapter 5…..**_

_**This chapter was just to kind-of move the story forward, the next chapter will be more exciting!**_

_**Please-Review! **_


	5. Feelings

Carla followed Peter into the living-room, feeling slightly awkward that she was at Peter's house when she had only known him a couple of days, but yet the pair of them were so close already!

"Can I get you a drink or something? Orange Juice? Lemonade? Something else?" Peter asked, trying to be a good-host towards Carla.

"Oh urm…..A cup of tea would be nice if that's okay with you?" Carla asked, trying to be as polite as possible.

"Of-Course it is….." Peter paused for a couple of seconds….."But urm…..I don't know how to make tea…..And the last time I used the kettle I burnt my arm….." Peter trailed-off with an awkward.

Carla sighed humorously. "Ah what are ya like ey Peter? Urm…..In that case some Orange Juice would be great!" Carla told-him happily with a content-smile.

Peter went to get the drinks from the kitchen and then soon brought them through to the living-room, where Carla was still stood-up.

Peter put the two glasses of Orange-Juice down onto the table before looking-up and just laughing at Carla. "You can sit-down ya know?" Peter said with a quiet-chuckle, and Carla immediately sat down on the sofa before she was soon joined by Peter a couple of seconds later.

"So what were you doing out and about on Coronation Street then?" Peter asked curiously.

"Ah things weren't too great at home, so I just thought I'd go for a wander and let things cool-off a bit?" Carla revealed to him.

"How dya mean?" Peter asked, concerned for Carla.

"Oh…..It doesn't matter….." She trailed-off, looking-away from Peter.

"Yes it does Carla." Peter replied…..But Carla didn't respond.

"Carla look at me." Peter requested. "Come-On. I'm not gonna judge ya…..My home-life is hardly the best is it? You can talk to me ya know Carla…..Carla please look at me?" Peter asked again in the softest of voices.

Carla slowly turned her head to look at Peter again. She stared directly into his eyes as she felt the tears forming in the backs of hers.

"Peter…..I want to tell-ya…..But it's just difficult okay…..The only people that know about my home-life are the Connors…..And I've known them for years….." Carla told Peter shakily as the first-few-tears began to fall-down her cheek.

"Well….." Peter began as he lifted his hand to Carla's cheek and gently wiped the tears away with the pad of his thumb. "Maybe it'd do ya good to tell-someone-else ey?" Peter asked, being desperately careful not to upset her even-more than she already was.

"Yeah…..Listen…..Before I tell ya…..I know that you loved ya Mother to bits…..And still do…..And I totally respect that, and I know that you miss her more than anything in the world…..But Peter, life's just…..Never been that way for me…..That's all…..My Mum…..She's a drunk…..And she takes drugs for a living…..Always has done, and always will do…..She doesn't care whether I'm home or not…..As-long as I pop-in every-now and again so that she can claim child-benefits then she's quite-happy. I can't wait to see her face when I'm 18 and therefore I'll officially be an adult! I can't wait to move-out of that wreck and start living a life of my own….." Carla told Peter, very-tearfully as she talked-about things that she hated talking-about to anyone-else, even Peter himself, but she knew that Peter would understand…..He always had-done so-far anyway…..There was no-reason for him to stop being understanding now…..

"Oh Carla I'm so sorry. What about your Dad?" Peter asked her sensitively.

"Oh urm…..I don't see him very-often anymore….." Carla trailed-off as the tears got the better of her. "I'm sorry Peter…..I didn't intend to come—in here and cry me flamin' heart out!" Carla apologised sadly.

"Hey don't be sorry….." Peter told her as her phone bleeped-twice.

It was a text-message from Paul.

_**Paul: **I'm sorry about earlier. xxxxx_

_**Carla: **It's OK. U r forgiven. XxX_

_**Paul: **I'm glad 2 hr it. What r u up 2 then? xxxxx_

_**Carla: **Bit busy atm tbh. XxX_

_**Paul: **Oh yh? Doing what? Xxxxx_

_**Carla: **Chatting to Peter…..XxX_

_**Paul: **Wat an idiot….._

_**Carla:**__Paul! _

_**Paul: **I'm sorry…..xxxxx_

_**Carla: **It's fine. Just leave Peter alone. K? _

_**Paul: **Whatever babe…..xxxxx_

_**Carla: **I'm not your babe….._

_**Paul: **I'm sorry…..xxxxx_

_**Carla: **Yeah so u sed. Now get lost I'm busy….._

_**Paul: **Fine. Speak later…..xxxxx_

Carla then shut her phone and put-it away as she turned her attention back to Peter.

"Sorry about that." Carla said to Peter quietly.

"Ah it's alright!" Peter told her with a sweet-smile spread-across his face. "Who was it?" He asked curiously.

"Oh just Paul….." Carla trailed-off.

"Ya mean that guy who punched-me right?" Peter asked.

"Yeah…..By the way. Sorry about that again…..Paul is just very-protective over-me…..Ya know?" Carla told Peter truthfully.

"It's okay. I get-it. SO is there something going-on between you and Paul then?" Peter teased.

"What? Between Me and Paul? Oh No…..We're just close-friends that's all….." Carla replied, nervous as to where this conversation was heading.

"Well…..Good….." Peter trailed-off, and there was a moments silence between the pair as their lips drew nearer to each-other before they then met and they kissed-each-other gently before pulling-away a second-later.

"Was that meant to happen?" Carla asked innocently.

"I don't know…..Was it?" Peter questioned in reply.

"Well I don't know either…..Did you like it?" Carla asked.

"I suppose so…..What about you?" Peter asked, returning the question.

"Yeah…..Yeah I did like-it…..I loved-it infact….." Carla said before the pair of them then kissed-again. Except this time, the kiss lasted for longer as one of Carla's hands curled-around Peter's shoulder, and the other gently held the back of Peter's head, urging him to move-in closer to her as he placed his hands onto her hips.

As the kiss came to an end, Carla gently stroked her hand around from the back of Peter's head to the side of his neck. They both stared each-other into the eyes, wondering what an earth the other-once must be thinking right at this moment in time.

"So urm…..Where do we go from here?" Peter asked shyly.

"I don't know…..I mean…..I like ya…..No. Infact. I Really REALLY like ya and everything Peter…..But we've only known each-other a couple of days and….." Carla was stopped as Peter interrupted-her.

"You like Paul don't you?" Peter asked, practically finishing her sentence-off for her as he knew that it was coming sooner or later.

"Yeah….." Carla whispered. "Well…..At-least I thought I did…..Until I met-you…..And he's been acting like a bit of an idiot recently anyway….." Carla trailed-off.

"Listen Carla, where do you want to take this? Because either-way…..I'll be happy…..as-long as we can stay-friends?" Peter suggested to Carla, almost on the edge of tears himself.

"My heart's saying that I should be with you and that we should give things a go…..But my head's telling-me that it's Paul that I love…..And that we should wait until I know how Paul feels…..But I don't mean that in a way that it gonna make-you feel second-best to Paul…..Because you're not you're really not Peter!" Carla told Peter before she gently placed another light-kiss onto his lips.

"Carla…..I understand. Look. I know how I feel about you Carla…..But you like two guys at the same-time…..And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that…..But eventually you're gonna need to make-your mind-up…..Before someone-else makes-it-up for you." Peter told Carla cautiously and nervously.

Carla swallowed as she thought about things. "How about we give things a shot? But we can't tell Paul! The last-thing I wanna do is break anyone's heart….." Carla told Peter confidently.

"I know that Carla…..But if we're gonna give things a shot, then people are gonna find-out eventually." Peter told-her truthfully.

"True. But let's just take things slowly ey?" Carla suggested.

"Of-Course." Peter whispered before the pair of them then kissed-again properly for the third time that afternoon. This time, the kiss was more passionate than ever-before as they held each-other closely and enjoyed each-others kisses…..

* * *

_**And so 'Carter' begins! **_

_**Please-Review!**_


	6. The College Party

The next day, college had begun again after the weekend. Carla had walked in with the Connors, and Peter had walked-in by himself, but the pair of them were texting each-other throughout.

_**Carla:** Ireally enjoyed yesterday. XxX _

_**Peter: **Me 2. X_

_**Carla: **R u at college today? XxX_

_**Peter: **Yh. U? X_

_**Carla: **Yh. I can't wait 2 c u. XxX _

_**Peter: **Same. I feel like we r back in secondary school. A quick kiss or 3 behind the hockey sheds…..X _

_**Carla: **It's just aswell college doesn't have hockey sheds then ent it? ;) XxX_

_**Peter: **Haa. Haa. X _

_**Carla: **C u soon lover boy. XxX_

_**Peter: **Bye. X_

"Hey. Who are you texting then?" Michelle asked Carla nosily.

"Uh. That's none of your business Mrs!" Carla replied with a cheeky-giggle.

"Urm. Miss to you Carla!" Michelle back-chatted as she giggled along with Carla too.

"Whatever Michelle." Carla joked before a text from Peter came-through as they walked-into college, Paul and Liam a couple of paces behind-them.

_**Peter: **I can c u. Come and meet-me. I'm by the footy pitch. X _

"Uh listen 'Chelle I'm gonna have to love ya and leave ya. My friend just text me. They wanna meet before college starts!" Carla told Michelle…..It was…..kind-of the truth?

"Oh Fine. Abandon Me Then. I'm only your best-friend…..I'm not important or anything….." Michelle joked as Carla began to walk-off towards the football-pitch.

"Sorry 'Chelle. I catch-ya later!" Carla called before picking-up the pace of her walking into a run as she spotted Peter stood in the distance.

"Hey 'Chelle, where's she off to?" Paul asked from behind.

"Oh I dunno, some friend of hers wants to meet-her…..Any Ideas Brothers?" Michelle asked.

Paul and Liam looked at each-other and then just burst into fits of laughter.

"What friends? Carla doesn't have any friends?" Liam Teased as the three siblings walked-into college together.

Over by the football-pitch, Carla had met Peter and they had snuck-off into the corner of the field together. They passionately kissed each-other, totally comfortable in each-others close-company as they began giggling.

"This feels so weird." Peter told Carla as they finished the long and passionate kiss.

"Oh well thanks." Carla replied cheekily.

"Oh No Sorry. I didn't mean the kiss…..I meant…..Us. Being a couple." Peter told her innocently as Carla laughed at him.

"I know what you meant." Carla responded, playfully patting his chest once with both of her hands, and then allowing them to rest there.

"You look gorgeous." Peter told Carla sweetly.

"And you are gonna have all of the girls chasing after-you if you get much-better looking Mister." Carla told him in a cute-way as he held her with his hands wrapped-around her waist.

He smiled crookedly at her before their lips met-once-again for the briefest of moments.

"So remind-me. Why can't we tell-anyone about us again?" Peter asked Carla.

"Because if we tell-everyone, then Paul is bound to find-out at some-point, and I don't want to hurt him like that. Give-it a couple of weeks, and I'll tell-him myself." Carla told Peter with a small-but-nervous smile spread across her lips.

"Alright then. I suppose we can keep-it a secret for just a bit-longer." Peter told-her lovingly.

"Great." Carla replied happily. "What are you doing after college?" She asked-him.

"Oh I dunno…..Tracy and my Dad both get back this-evening…..So who knows what could happen….." Peter paused. "Why?" He questioned.

"Because I want to see you!" Carla giggled excitedly.

"Oh do ya really? Well I'd never have guessed." Peter replied as he cheekily winked at Carla. "Where shall we meet-then?" Peter asked her calmly.

"There's a college party tonight…..Starts at 9. – Ends Whenever…..It's a couples night…..Michelle's going with this guy called Dean…..I don't know him, but apparently they're…..Well…..Ya know urm…..friends with benefits. - If ya get my drift? My guess is that they will actually get their acts together soon and become a proper couple…..And I dunno if Paul and Liam are going…..But you could come with me if ya wanted to?" Carla suggested as she moved her arms around Peter's neck, and then gently stroked the back of Peter's head with her hands, feeling his soft but short hair amongst her fingers.

"I'd love to come with you." Peter whispered to her before they kissed once-more and then headed-into college together.

* * *

_**Later that night…..**_

Peter and Carla had just arrived at the party together, desperate to hold each-others hands, but knowing that they couldn't just incase anyone saw-anyone.

Peter was wearing some smart dark jeans and a black shirt, whilst Carla was wearing a smart/casual looking black dress to match-him.

Michelle had spotted Peter and Carla from the other-side of the room and was dragging Dean over with her to introduce them all.

"Hey Carla! And Peter! I haven't seen you in a while! But anyway. Guys this is Dean. Dean. – Carla and Peter. Carla's my best-mate….And Peter is…..Well…..The New-Kid…..I Guess?" Michelle said with a slightly hyper-laugh.

"It's nice to meet-ya guys!" Dean said happily, before he then tugged at Michelle's hands and the pair of them kissed extremely passionately, their hands wandering.

"Oh guys go and get a room the pair of ya!" Carla told-them, but they were to busy kissing each-other to bother to listen to Carla, so Carla ignored them and grabbed Peter's hand, dragging him onto the dance-floor with her.

The pair danced together, trying to act like the normal _'party-couple' _and not an actual-couple.

"So have you seen Paul or Liam yet then?" Peter asked her quietly.

"Nope. I'm hoping that they were boring and decided to stay at home." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"Hmmm Me Too. The last-time I saw Paul he smacked-me-one…..Remember?" Peter said to Carla.

"Yeah. I'll always remember that. But don't worry. He won't be doing that again. Because I won't let-him." Carla revealed to Peter sweetly at she smiled-widely at him.

Carla then received a text from Michelle.

_**Michelle: **Going back to Dean's for the night. If I'm late-into college tomorrow morning, you'll know why. XXX _

_**Carla: **Urgh. Too Much Information 'Chelle! LOL. Have a good time yeah? XxX_

"Who was that?" Peter asked Carla.

"That was Michelle. 3 Guesses as to what herself and Dean will be getting-upto tonight!" Carla said with a rather-amused look spread-across her face.

"Oh…..Well that's put-me-off any of the food on display tonight….." Peter Joked.

"Awww I'm sorry darlin'. Don't blame-me. Blame 'Chelle." Carla Giggled.

As a slow-song came-on, Peter and Carla moved-themselves over to the corner of the dance-floor, where they had a little-more privacy than where they were before-hand, which was right-in the very-centre of it.

Carla warmed-up to Peter, resting her head against his chest as her arms wrapped around his neck. Whilst Peter had his arms wrapped around Carla's waist, joining his hands together at her lower-back, as his head rested on-top of Carla's head.

"Mmm. You're comfy." Carla giggled sweetly.

"And so are you." Peter replied, causing Carla to look-up at him, she placed her hand against his cheek and then leaned-up to kiss-him. She kissed him again, and again as they enjoyed the taste of each-others lips.

As Carla un-did another button of his shirt, Peter pulled-away. "Woah take-it easy Car. We don't wanna start getting a reputation like Michelle and Dean have now do we?" Peter told Carla with a cheeky-smile spread across his face.

"Ah well I suppose not. I'm sorry I just couldn't resist you." Carla told him truthfully but cheekily.

"Yeah well there will be plenty of time for giving-into temptation…..We've got the rest of our lives ahead of us!" Peter told her sweetly.

"You've got a very good-point there Peter." Carla said to Peter.

"Well thank-you Carla." Peter replied before they kissed-again, everyone-else so busy with their own friendship groups that they were oblivious to the fact that Carla and Peter were hopelessly in love with each-other.

* * *

_**Please-Review!**_


	7. Going Public

Carla awoke early the next morning on Peter's sofa. As much as the pair wanted to be together, they also wanted to take things nice and slowly and so didn't feel that they were ready to sleep together yet. Carla wasn't like Michelle. Her life wasn't based around how many times she had slept with her boyfriend. To Carla, life was about making the most of the good-things whilst they still existed. And the good things in Carla's life were few, so it was important to Carla that she did make the most of them and enjoy them as much as she possibly could.

"Morning." Peter greeted Carla, quietly and slightly croakily as he ruffled his hair-up. He had only just woken-up and was just wearing his pyjama bottoms and his dressing-gown.

"Ah Morning. I was wondering when you'd be down." Carla said as she shuffled along the sofa a little, allowing Peter to sit next to her.

"Sorry you had to sleep down here last-night. It's just that my Dad would kill-me if I'd have spent the night with a Carla who he hasn't even met yet." Peter told Carla truthfully.

Carla giggled shyly. "Hey it's okay. This sofa is even more comfy than my own bed at home. And as for your Dad. Well. Maybe he could meet-me this morning then?" She questioned as sh gently toyed with Peter's hand.

Peter looked at Carla. "Hmmm. Well I suppose so…..But we should be getting-ready for college!" Peter told Carla and she sighed.

"Oh come-on we've got ages until we have to be at college." Carla moaned to Peter as she tugged at his hand, causing him to lean-over her and kiss her on the lips.

"Ya see. I know you couldn't resist me for much longer." Carla giggled before she then kissed Peter again as he laid-down next to her. Carla placed her hand onto Peter's cheek as the kiss grew longer before it then came to an soft ending and she rested her head against Peter's chest as they cuddled-up on the sofa together.

It wasn't long until a 13 Year-Old Tracy was awake and was shocked to find her Step-Brother led next to some new-girl on the sofa. Tracy laughed.

"Peter, your Dad is so gonna kill-you when he sees you with your new bit of stuff!" Tracy teased Peter evilly.

"Shut-up Tracy. This is Carla….." Peter paused, un-sure of how to introduce Carla as he took a quick-glance at her, before he then realised that it was too late for lies. "My girlfriend…..Carla this is Tracy…..My new step-sister….." Peter introduced the pair of them as he sat-up from the sofa and then stood-up as he stretched, tiredly.

"Oh. It's nice to meet you Tracy." Carla said politely with a gentle-smiled placed-across her lips.

"Yeah same I suppose….." Tracy trailed-off, un-amused that her morning-space on the sofa in the living-room had already been occupied by some strange girl that Peter had introduced as his new-girlfriend. "Just don't spend too long in the bathroom will ya? Because I need at-least 15 Minutes in there to do my make-up…..And then there's the shower before that…..Infact…..Carla was it? It might just be best for the both of us if you went home now?" Tracy said with an obvious fake-niceness towards Carla.

"Alright Trace. That's enough. Leave Carla Alone!" Peter warned his Step-Sister as he placed-himself next to Carla on the sofa again. He took her nearest hand into his and gently-squeezed-it to make-sure that Carla was okay. Carla shot Peter a soft-smile to let him know that Tracy's attitude with her hadn't upset her in anyway whatsoever.

As Tracy wandered-off towards the bathroom, Carla smiled sweetly at Peter. "I've heard a lot worse baby." Carla told Peter quietly as she placed her hand on-top of his leg and then gently-squeezed his knee as her smile-grew into an even-wider one, before the couple kissed once-again.

* * *

Carla and Peter eventually arrived at college together and were sat on opposite sides of the picnic tables together. Holding each-others hand from across the table. Now Tracy knew, they didn't stand-much of a chance of no-one else finding-out and it wouldn't be long until Peter's Dad and Step-Mother, Ken and Deirdre found-out, so there was no-point in hiding it anymore. But Carla was still weary that this was going to break Paul's heart.

Carla soon received a text from Michelle. It had been expected after the party last-night.

_**Michelle: **I won't be in 2day. xxx_

_**Carla: **As expected. Gd nite was it? XxX_

_**Michelle: **Yh it was great…..xxx_

_**Carla: **Well good for u. R u not in at-all 2day? XxX_

_**Michelle: **Nope. I'm spendin the whole day with Dean. xxx_

_**Carla: **Ya pair of skivers! I won't ask u what u will be doin then…..LOL. XxX_

_**Michelle: **Shut-up! C u soon yh? xxx_

_**Carla: **Yh. Cya. XxX_

* * *

"Sorry about that. Michelle was just texting me." Carla told Peter sweetly.

"Oh Right….." Peter trailed-off slightly awkwardly; Michelle was more Carla's friend than his. Although Peter did think she was quite pretty. But she was nothing compared to Carla. Peter thought to himself.

"Anyway. Listen You. I need to find a way to tell Paul that we're together, without him beating-you-up or hating-me for the rest of his life." Carla said, but what she hadn't realised, whereas Peter had, was that Paul and Liam had approached the pair of them from behind.

"What is it Peter?" Carla asked. "Peter's what's up?" She questioned. Carla then followed Peter sight-line as she turned-herself around to Paul and Liam stood directly behind-her. Both herself and Peter stood-up as Peter walked-around the picnic-table to join Carla as she faced this rather awkward situation.

"You Two? Going-Out? Well thanks for leading me on Carla. Thanks a lot." Paul said angrily.

"Oh Paul I'm sorry alright?" Carla apologised, sadly.

"You're sorry? Well it's a bit late for that. I thought you liked-me Carla! I thought I stood a chance with you. But obviously not!" Paul shouted furiously, but you could hear through the emotion in his voice that he had been highly upset by this.

"I did like ya Paul! And part of me still does! But then Peter came-along…..And he just…..I dunno he just gets me? And I love him! I'm sorry Paul but that's the truth." Carla revealed the devastated-teenager.

"Yeah but he doesn't love you does he? Not like I do anyway. He can't he's only known you 5 Seconds! I've known you pretty much all ya life Carla! I know you inside and out, and I know everything about your parents and about your brothers! And how they're in PRISON! Does Peter know that? Well…..Obviously not. If that pathetic look on his face is anything to go by!" Paul shouted.

"Alright that's enough." Peter interrupted.

"Yeah come-on Paul. Let's go inside." Liam suggested as he tried to pull his brother-away from the situation.

"No! I'm not going until Carla tells me the truth. So come-on then Carla. Who do you REALLY love? Me? Or Peter?" Paul said, putting Carla on the spot.

Carla looked-down for a second to compose herself, before she then looked-back-up at Paul and stared at him directly into the eyes. "I. Love. Peter!" Carla told him sternly, her teeth-gritted as she said those words. She was annoyed at Paul for acting like this. She had expected him to be upset, but she certainly hadn't expected him to kick-off like this.

"You're Lying!" Paul snapped-out.

"I Said. That's Enough. Paul!" Peter warned Paul as he stepped infront of Carla to face Paul once and for all.

"Get out of my face!" Paul threatened.

"Yeah that's not a bad-idea is it? Come-On Peter let's go." Carla said as she tugged at Peter's upper-arm, trying to stop-him from doing anything that he'd soon regret.

* * *

After some forceful persuasion, Peter followed Carla inside, but not without a word of warning for Paul.

"You heard what Carla said. She. Loves. ME! Not get-lost and leave my girl-alone!" Peter warned Paul, quietly, but angrily at the same-time, before he then walked-off with Carla.

"I know I've just broken his heart Peter, but he had no-right to react in the way that he did!" Carla told Peter as they approached the college-main-doors.

"It'll be okay Carla. We'll sort things out alright?" Peter re-assured Carla as they stopped in the corridor as Peter stroked a strand of Carla's long and black-hair behind her ears before he then rested both of his hands against her cheeks.

"I Love You." Carla told Peter with a sweet-smile.

"I Love You Too." Peter replied before his phone bleeped-once. It was a message from Tracy.

_**Tracy: **Havin fun with little baby cakes are we? X_

_**Peter: **Not now Trace._

_**Tracy: **Alright. I was just askin! X_

_**Peter: **Yh. Well don't even bother. K? _

_**Tracy: **Fine!_

* * *

_**Please-Review! **__  
_


	8. Jealousy

_**Sorry the delay, I had run-out of ideas for this fic, but thanks to a review, I got thinking again and have come-up with this. I hope you enjoy-it! :)**_

* * *

That afternoon, Peter was heading-home alone, Carla had plans with Michelle, and so they had kissed each-other goodbye and then gone their separate ways for the day.

Paul approached Peter as he reached the college-gates. Most of the students had gone home already by now. "What do you want Paul?" Peter asked, fed-up of this guy's jealously already.

"I want you to break-up with Carla. But I know that that's not gonna happen. So I guess I'll just have to make your face less pretty instead then won't I?" Paul said, desperate for a fight against Peter. He hated every-inch of him.

"I'm not gonna fight you Paul." Peter stated as he tried to walk-away from the unbelievably jealous-teenager.

"Yeah, well you better start running then…..Mmmate!" Paul replied angrily as he grabbed the back of Peter's t-shirt and viciously yanked him backwards, and Peter stumbled as he tried to keep his footing.

"Paul. Leave me alone!" Peter said, more firmly this time, but Paul ignored Peter's words and punched-him in the nose, giving Peter a nose-bleed, before grabbing the front of t-shirt and hoisting Peter-up against the nearest wall.

"Not so pretty now are ya?" Paul said nastily as he dropped Peter then kneed him in the stomach, and Peter keeled-over as Paul pushed him to the ground.

Peter slowly made his way back to his feet, holding his stomach in pain as he got his breath-back. "Paul, what's the point in beating me up ey? All you're gonna do is make Carla hate-you even-more than she does already. We could be friends. And I promise you that I'll look after Carla, and if I don't…..THEN you have every right to beat-me to a pulp, but I love Carla, and I'm gonna stay her whether you beat-me-up or not mate. So just leave-me-alone." Peter said breathlessly, hoping that his attempts to calm-Paul-down would work.

"Don't start this whole innocent act with me Peter. Because it won't work. I'm the one that Carla loves. ME. And it's always been that way! Until you came-along, I was preparing myself to ask her out, but now she's with you!" Paul shouted at Peter. "And what chance do I stand against you. She's only with you because she feels sorry for you! You're just the new-kid with a rough-background. Well you don't know anything about Carla. You wouldn't know first-THING about her background!" Paul shouted.

"I know enough to be there for her when she needs me to be!" Peter interrupted Paul. "Me and Carla will get to know each-other in time. But there's a difference between knowing someone and flamin' loving them mate!" Peter shouted, but his stomach was still hurting and his nose was now pouring with blood. "Carla doesn't love you. Not anymore anyway. Just accept it will you?" Peter told Paul firmly.

"Ya what? So now you're saying that I should just give-up on her? You really are an idiot aren't you?" Paul said angrily, pushing Peter back against the wall so that he smashed the back of his head against it. "Well guess what mate. I'm never gonna give-up on Carla. And until I get-her all to myself, it looks like you're in for a rough ride of it pal." Paul threatened, punching Peter in the cheek and then kneeing him in the stomach once more before walking-away, hoping that he'd scared Peter-off.

* * *

Peter sunk to the ground against the wall as he wiped the blood away from his nose with his hands. He decided to ring Carla. He didn't want to disturb her evening-out with Michelle, but he wanted to hear her voice, and know that she was having a good-time, even-though he really-wasn't.

_**Carla: **Hello You. _

_**Peter: **__Hey. _– He said tearfully.

_**Carla: **__Are you okay? You sound like you're crying? – _She asked, full of concern for Peter as she walked through town with Michelle.

_**Peter: **Nah I'm fine. It's just a cold. _

_**Carla: **Yeah right Peter. Come-on just tell me what's wrong? I'll just be worrying all night otherwise. _

_**Peter: **It's nothing alright? Look, I just wanted to make-sure that you were having a good-time okay?_

_**Carla: **Okay. If you say so. Listen, do you want me to call-around tonight? _

_**Peter: **No. I'm gonna get an early-night I think. Have a good-evening and I'll see you at college tomorrow yeah? _

_**Carla: **Okay. I love you. _

_**Peter: **I love you too._

Peter then put the phone-down, hoping that he hadn't worried Carla too much by his phone-call, before he then headed-home, hoping that he could hide the blood-stains and the pain in his stomach from his family, and also from Carla at college the next-day.

* * *

Carla waited just outside of college for Peter, still being kept in the dark about Paul beating Peter-up. Peter arrived 10 Minutes late, which was unlike him, and Carla was worried about him as he approached her, looking-down, his body-language showing the world that he was upset about something.

"Good Morning. You're late." Carla said chirpily, ignoring the sad-look about him in hope that he might cheer-up if she was happy.

"Yeah…..Sorry about that….." He trailed-off quietly, refusing to look-up as he didn't want Carla to see the red-mark on his face from where Paul had punched him yesterday.

"Peter what's up?" Carla asked, placing a finger underneath his chin, and attempting to push his face-up slightly, and that's when she spotted the red-mark just underneath his eye.

"Oh my goodness Peter what's happened?" Carla said as she hugged Peter tightly, but he winced and pulled-away in pain, his stomach still hurting-him from the beating yesterday-afternoon.

"Peter you're hurt. Is this why you phoned-me last-night?" Carla asked-him, but she got no-response from-him.

"Come-On Peter talk to me." Carla pleaded with him as she placed her hand gently against the side of his neck.

"We're already late as it is. Come-On let's go inside….." Peter told Carla as he tried to walk-away, but Carla stood-firm, gently taking a hold-of Peter's arm, and then stopping him from walking-away from her before he had talked to her about what had happened.

"I couldn't care-less if we don't even make it into college today. I want to know why you look-like you've been in a fight." Carla told him firmly.

"I got mugged okay….." Peter trailed-off, knowing that he shouldn't have said that as he was a pathetic-liar.

"What? Okay, I'll just text Paul and get-him to tell the teacher that we won't be in today….." Carla said as she pulled-out her phone and began to text Paul, but Peter stopped-her.

"No. Don't text Paul." Peter said sternly.

"Why not?" Carla asked Peter, he had confused her now.

"Because I didn't get mugged…..Paul did this to me…..He beat-me-up because he doesn't like the fact that I'm your boyfriend now and he's not!" Peter blurted-out to Carla, and Carla was shocked that Paul would ever do such a thing.

"Oh Baby….." Carla trailed-off sadly as she placed the softest of kisses against Peter's cheek, trying not to cause him anymore pain as she gently hugged-him.

"Why would he do that to you? I mean…..I know he didn't like you, but…..Paul's never been like that before, he's not a violent person…..Well…..Not normally anyway. Oh I'm so sorry Peter." Carla said, almost in tears as she placed her fingers over the cut on Peter's cheek and tenderly rubbed them over-it. "Looks Nasty. Maybe we should go to the hospital?" Carla asked-him but Peter shook his head.

"No. They'd ring me Dad…..And I can't have him finding-out that I've been involved in a scrap at school…..He'd kill-me….." Peter told Carla truthfully.

"Alright. Well we're definitely not going to college today, because right-now, if I saw Paul, I wouldn't be held responsible for my actions. Come-on, you can come back to mine." Carla suggested kindly. She trusted Peter enough now to meet her Mother and Father.

"But I thought you didn't want me to know about your home-life?" Peter questioned Carla shyly.

"I trust-ya and I love-ya. You were gonna have to see-it at some-point anyway weren't ya?" Carla told him softly as she gently stroked his cheek.

"True. But urm…..Go easy on me ey? Everything hurts at the moment….." Peter told Carla.

"Awww my poor baby. Alright." Carla said as she took a-hold of his hand and began to walk with him. "I love you remember?" She added-sweetly onto the end of her sentence.

"And I love you too." Peter replied and the couple kissed before then heading-back to Carla's house for the day...

* * *

_**Please-Review!**_


	9. Dangerous Territory

Carla and Peter had soon arrived back at Carla's house where her Mum was sprawled out on the sofa, obviously completely out of it.

Carla stopped Peter before she opened the door. "Now I have to warn ya now, my Mum…..She isn't exactly very…..Welcoming…..You'll get what I mean in a minute…..Okay? But don't be scared of her, she's harmless really." Carla told Peter, but that was far from the truth depending on what state her Mother was in when Carla got home from College.

Carla then pushed the door open and Peter followed her in.

"Hiya Mum!" She called as she walked Peter through the corridor and into the living-room, where her Mum was.

"Who's the bloke?" Carla's Mother Slurred in a deep-Manchester-Accent that was barely understandable to anyone outside of Manchester.

"This is Peter…..He's my new boyfriend." Carla told her Mum.

"Hiya." Peter said happily but the Lady scowled at Peter.

"What's the cut on your cheek? Been in a scrap?" She questioned harshly, but anyone could see…..And smell, that she was high on drugs.

Peter looked-down, not wanting to go there.

"Mum don't be so rude. We'll be upstairs. Okay?" Carla told her Mother, and she WAS more telling-her than asking-her.

"Don't do 'nythin' I wouldn't." She slurred as the couple headed-upstairs together.

"Or would….." Carla said, annoyed and slightly embarrassed by her Mother's reaction to Peter being here. Peter smiled at Carla sympathetically as they reached her bedroom.

"Sorry it's a bit of a mess. Take a seat." Carla said as Peter sat-himself-down onto the edge of Carla's bed.

"Where's ya Dad then?" Peter asked as Carla stood infront of him and Peter took Carla's hands into his own.

Carla sighed ashamefully. "Ugh. Baby you really don't wanna know. Alright?" She told-him softly as she moved her hands to rest against either-side of Peter's neck.

"Okay. You can tell-me in your own-time." Peter told-her kindly as Carla smiled at him and then leaned-down to kiss him on the lips.

* * *

The pair were just about to deepen their kiss when Carla received a text. It was from Michelle:

_**Michelle: **Car, wer r u? xxx_

_**Carla: **Non of yr bizness 'Chelle. XxX_

_**Michelle: **Well. Paul is askin' after u. ;) xxx_

_**Carla: **Lyk I care wat Paul wants. XxX_

_**Michelle: **So come-on then, wat r u rele doin then? xxx_

_**Carla: **At myn wiv Peter. XxX_

_**Michelle: **N u call Me and Dean dirty…..xxx_

_**Carla: **Shut-up. I'll call u l8r. XxX_

_**Michelle: **K Bbe. Cya. xxx _

_**Carla: **Bye. XxX_

* * *

"So, where is she then?" Paul asked Michelle.

"With Peter…..At her house. Sorry Bro." Michelle told her older-brother.

"What? She's with that idiot again? I warned him!" Paul said angrily.

"What do you mean you warned-him? Paul what did you do to Peter?" Michelle asked worriedly.

"Nothing….." Paul trailed-off.

"PAUL?" Michelle shouted, demanding a better answer than that from-him.

"We had a bit of a fight yesterday…..And I told-him that he'd be in for a rough-ride of things, and then he just goes and rubs it in my face by sleeping with her!" Paul said with a raised-voice.

"Well she IS his girlfriend…..If they want to do…..That…..Then they can. Just leave-them be ey Paul?" Michelle told his brother firmly.

"Yeah well he's in for it tomorrow. I'm gonna knock the living daylights out of him." Paul said, his teeth gritted as he spoke with pure-anger.

"Uh. You'll do no such thing!" Michelle warned-him.

* * *

It was the late-afternoon now, and the couple were still in Carla's bedroom, kissing each-other passionately as Carla lay on-top of Peter on her bed. There was a natural sense of love and trust between the pair of them as they enjoyed being in each-others company. They just understood each-other, which had somehow brought them together. Despite having not known each-other for that long, the pair of them both felt like they had known each-other for years.

Carla's hands crawled-up Peter's t-shirt, but Peter broke the kiss to stop her for a moment. "Carla, are you sure about this, I mean…..Your Mum is just downstairs, and your Dad could be back any minute….." Peter panicked.

"Peter stop worrying will you." Carla told-him, placing a kiss onto the side of his neck. "My Dad doesn't get home until late….." She continued before placing a couple of kisses along Peter's jaw-line. "And my Mum…..Well…..She's to out of it to care what we're up-too….." Carla trailed-off; barely finishing her sentence before she crashed her lips into Peter's and began kissing him roughly as she removed his t-shirt and continued what they had already started...

* * *

Paul and Michelle were walking-home from college together, but Paul was breathing purposefully heavily with pure-frustration. "Paul calm-down will-you?" Michelle told-him.

"NO!" Paul shouted. "Sorry." He said as he sighed, trying his best to calm-himself-down, and not take-this out on his younger-sister. "I'm sorry. Alright? I just can't stop thinking about Carla being with that idiot of a guy. I mean…..Why? Why does she have to love-HIM and not-ME? WHY?" He continued ranting before suddenly turning-around and punching the nearest-wall to him.

"Paul come-on, it's only Carla. Get-over her will you?" Michelle told-him, annoyed that Paul just couldn't seem to move-on from Carla.

"ARGH MICHELLE! I LOVE HER! I'M NOT JUST GONNA MOVE-ON THAT EASILY. OKAY?" Paul screeched at Michelle before he then ran-off.

* * *

It wasn't long until it was dark, and Peter was just leaving Carla's.

"Thanks for a great-afternoon." Peter said, cheekily winking at Carla as they reached the bottom of the stairs together.

"Anytime." Carla replied sweetly, gently pushing Peter against the front-door as she kissed-him again.

"UGH. Put-him down will you?" Carla's Mother called as she entered the corridor and spotted them kissing.

Carla immediately pulled-away from her kiss with Peter, almost in fear as she heard her Mum's voice.

"Sorry Mum." Carla said quietly as she opened the front-door for Peter to leave-out-of.

"Cya Peter. Don't rush back will ya?" Carla's Mother said rather-rudely to Peter.

"Bye." Peter replied before looking at Carla. "Cya." He said sweetly before he then left and began to head-home.

"Don't think I don't know what you two have been doing up there young lady!" Carla's Mum said as she closed-in on Carla.

"Says the Mum who was off her face on drugs when I brought peter back here this morning!" Carla answered-back.

"DON'T GIVE ME BACK-CHAT!" She shouted and Carla tensed-up in fear.

"I'm Sorry!" Carla replied tearfully.

"And so you should-be…..And so will Peter if he dares to step-foot in this place again, do you hear-me young-lady? Your Father would kill-him! And you know that-that's NO Exaggeration Carla!"

* * *

Peter was on his way-home, thinking about what a great-afternoon that he had-just-had, but at the same-time, he was also worrying about Carla, he hoped that her Mother wasn't to harsh on her.

Peter was just about to turn the corner onto Coronation-Street, when his arm was pulled-behind his back and he was shoved-up against the wall, his face scraping against the cold, hard and rough-wall, slightly winding Peter as his chest was crushed-against-it.

"OW! Who is it?" Peter asked; his breathing quickening as he feared the unknown.

"Who do you think it is? It's Paul mate." The guy revealed-himself. "I know where you were this afternoon. You were at Carla's. Well I warned you that it would be a rough-ride if you carried-on seeing-her. Leave-her-alone mate! Do you get-me? Leave. Carla. Alone." Paul threatened Peter, before letting-him-go and then running-off.

* * *

_**Woah. Well this is turning dark. Ah Well. We'll see where we end-up. :) **_

_**Please-Review! **_


	10. Back At College

**A cute little chapter for you! :) **

* * *

The next-morning, Carla and Peter met-up early, having agreed to meet-each-other in the park. "Morning." Carla said tiredly as she greeted Peter with a kiss on the lips.

"Hey." Peter replied, returning the kiss before Carla then rested her head against Peter's chest as he held her closely.

"Thanks for yesterday." She said, sighing as she remembered their afternoon together.

"Yeah it was great wasn't it?" Peter responded. "Your Mum didn't seem too happy about me being there thought….." Peter trailed-off, truthfully, feeling Carla tense-up against his chest at the mention of her Mother. "Carla what's wrong?" He asked as he pushed-her face-up with his fingers, forcing her to look-him in the eyes. Carla had tears falling-from her eyes.

"My Mum guessed what we were doing upstairs…..She went crazy…..She warned-me that if you ever came-back to mine then their would be trouble…..And she was right…..My Dad would put-you in hospital if he saw-you anywhere near me!" Carla cried as she hugged Peter tightly around the waist, resting her head back against his chest.

Peter sighed, sadly, knowing that this wasn't the end to their problems. "Yeah well I'm sorry to add to the problems, but Paul threatened-me again last-night." He revealed to Carla.

"Oh My Gosh Peter did he hurt you again?" Carla asked as she moved-her fingers-up to the cut on Peter's cheek from where Paul had punched-him the other-day. She was shocked that Paul just wouldn't seem to let this go.

"No, no he didn't hurt-me." Peter trailed-off.

Carla sighed. "It looks like we're gonna have to be a bit more careful then doesn't it?" She told Peter softly.

"Yeah…..But that's fine, my Dad's always out on Saturday's and Deirdre is always at work…..We can go back to mine….." Peter suggested.

"Yeah but one, what about the rest of the days in the week? And more-importantly, two, what about Tracy?" Carla asked-him.

"The rest of the week we're just gonna have to deal with Paul aren't we? But as for Tracy, well, I can get her to go-out with friends or something….." Peter told Carla.

"What every-weekend? Peter she's your little-sister….."

"No, she's my Step-Mum's Daughter. It was my house before it was hers, so she can get-lost on Saturday's. Saturday's are our day." Peter said sweetly to Carla before the couple kissed each-other on the lips once-again as they then headed-into the College together.

* * *

As they arrived in the classroom together, hand-in-hand, they were greeted by Paul, Liam, and Michelle.

"Heya Babe!" Michelle said happily, trying to avoid the awkwardness between Paul and Peter, and instead she just decided to concentrate on her and Carla's very-close-friendship.

"Hiya!" Carla replied as the friends hugged.

"Why are you hugging her?" Paul asked, obviously unamused by their friendly-greetings.

"Err. Because she's my friend, Paul?" Michelle replied, her tone-of-voice full of attitude.

"Yeah, but she's with _**him." **_Paul said angrily but keeping his voice low and quiet as he referred to Peter as him.

"Well they are going-out mate." Liam replied as he chuckled a little.

"Yeah Liam's right Paul. Me and Peter are going-out now." Carla began as she wrapped her arm around Peter's waist. "And he's told-me all about what you did to him the other-day. How you're the reason for the mark on his face. Oh and the threat you gave-him last-night, I know about that too. You can leave Peter alone in the future. Do you hear me?" Carla said, getting-up in Paul's face as she spat out the words at him.

"Car, leave-it." Peter said, tugging at her-arm to pull-her away from Paul.

Carla then turned-round and wrapped her arms around Peter's neck, kissing him fully on the lips just to rub-it in Paul's face.

As they continued to kiss each-other, Paul sighed in frustration. "'Chelle tell them to stop rubbing-it in my face." Paul ordered Michelle behind gritted teeth, knowing that he couldn't start a fight with Peter in the classroom, he end-up getting himself expelled, although right-now, Paul, didn't see that as such a bad-idea.

"Oh get a room will ya?" Liam teased, before pulling-his-brother away from the pail of them.

Carla giggled as she broke-away from the kiss.

"Listen you….." Carla began as she rested her forehead against Peter's. "I just want a quick word with 'Chelle. Just ignore Paul ey?" She told-Peter sweetly as she playfully pushed-him-away before she then dragged Michelle out of the room to talk to her.

* * *

"What's-Up Carla?" Michelle asked, concerned for her friend.

"I don't know what to do….." Carla started.

"Urm, about what darlin'?" Michelle asked, slightly-confused by Carla's sudden out-burst.

"Well, I take-it you know what me and Peter were well…..Doing…..Yesterday afternoon right? Carla questioned.

"You had sex Car; you can say it ya know." Michelle teased as she laughed a little at Carla's shyness over the topic.

"Yeah that well….." Carla trailed-off as she was interrupted by Michelle.

"You're not pregnant are ya?" Michelle asked, shocked that Carla wasn't more careful.

"Ya what? No! Of-Course I'm not!" Carla said, not amused that Michelle though she could be so stupid.

"Oh Good. 'Cause me and Dean had that scare a couple of months back. Oh Babe it is not fun. Luckily it was a false alarm….." Michelle paused as she noticed Carla look-down at her feet sadly as a tear dropped from her face. "Oh Carla. Babe, what's up?" Michelle asked, rubbing up and down Carla's arm soothingly.

"My Mum knew what we were doing…..She said if Dad ever found-out, then he'd kill Peter. And she's right, he would. And I'm just scared that Mum's gonna blurt something out when she's on the drugs or summit….." Carla cried to Michelle. "And I don't want my Dad to hurt Peter…..I love him 'Chelle! He's the first-guy who I've ever loved…..Your Paul was just a minor crush. But forget Paul, I don't want my family to wreck Mine and Peter's relationship!" She said, bursting into floods of tears as Michelle pulled-her-in-closer and hugged-her tightly.

"Carla. Listen to me. No-one is going to hurt Peter okay? No-One." Michelle said, before releasing Carla from their hug together. "Alright so you and him are gonna have to be a bit more careful about how you go about things, but so what? It's not the end of the world. You'll cope." Michelle tried to re-assure Carla as Peter popped-his-head around the door of the classroom and into the corridor.

"Can I steal girlfriend back now please?" Peter joked but was given a _'can't you see she's upset?'_ look by Michelle. "Carla? What's-up sweetheart?" Peter asked sensitively, causing Carla to cry even-more as she hugged Peter tightly around his waist. "I love you." She whispered as she cried into his chest.

"I love you too." Peter replied instantly before looking-above Carla and to Michelle. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" He whispered to Michelle.

"Talk to her." Michelle mouthed back to Peter before walking into the classroom.

"Car? Come-On tell-me what's up?" Peter asked, really concerned for his girlfriend.

Carla slowly looked-up at Peter. "Ya know what I said earlier about…..My Dad hurting you if he ever found-out?" Carla asked Peter tearfully.

"Yeah, what about that love?" Peter questioned.

"I'm just worried that now my Mum knows, he's gonna find-out…..And I just don't want you to get hurt-again. Paul was bad-enough, but my Dad could do a lot more damage than Paul ever-could." Carla revealed to Peter.

"Oh Sweetheart, no-one is gonna hurt-me okay. I won't let-them. Paul caught-me off-guard. I wasn't up for the fight with Paul, but I'm ready for whatever life throws at me now…..And we'll just have to avoid your house when your parents are in won't we?" Peter told her, trying to re-assure her that he could look after himself.

"I suppose so…..But please don't go bragging to your mates about yesterday…..I can't have anyone apart from the Connors knowing…..Okay?" Carla told Peter.

"Carla, I wouldn't brag to my mates about that kind-of thing anyway…..It's pointless…..Besides…..Most of my mates are lucky they aren't fathers with several different mothers the rate they're going-at. At least I have my one-girl and that's it. I just happened to pick the most beautiful, caring, best-kissing girl on this whole-planet." Peter told Carla sweetly before Carla laughed at him and they kissed briefly.

"Oy You. Stop going all soppy on me." Carla said to Peter as she giggled at him before they then headed-into class together.

"I love you." Peter whispered into Carla's ear as they walked-in.

"Oh Yeah? Well the feeling's mutual." Carla said with a happy-little-giggle as they took their seats next-to one-another at the back of the classroom.

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_


	11. Escaping

_**This chapter might contain certain M rated bits. – I'm not sure if it does or not, but just a warning incase it does. – I'll put the section in Italics so it's clear where it is.**_

* * *

Carla walked-home from college with Peter and Michelle that day. She liked the fact that Peter and Michelle seemed to get-along well.

"Are you alright now then?" Peter asked Carla, briefly looking at her as they walked, hand-in-hand, together.

"Yeah…..Although I don't particularly want to go home….." Carla trailed-off nervously as they reached the busy main-road which was next to the Council Estate that she lived-on.

"Well I'm glad to hear-it." Peter said sweetly as he squeezed Carla's hand lovingly and shot her a small-smile.

"Yeah me too Carla." Michelle added-on.

"Yeah well it's only thanks to you guys." Carla told them both thankfully as they crossed the busy road together.

"Hey what are friends for ey?" Michelle asked the rhetorical-question.

"And boyfriends….." Peter added-on cheekily as Carla hit him gently, but playfully on the cheek before she then leaned-in to kiss him on the lips, resting her hands on his shoulders as his hands found her waist.

Michelle smiled at them both as the obviously in-love couple kissed each-other.

Carla tensed-up and pushed Peter away from her as she spotted her Father's Car drive into the Council Estate.

"Shoot. I'm dead when I get home." Carla said worriedly.

"Why Baby?" Peter asked as he took a-hold of both of her hands once-again.

"That car that just drove past-us was my Dad's…..Listen Darlin' you need to go before my Dad gets out of the car or you're dead-meat." Carla said as she pushed Peter away from her.

"But Car….." Peter began but he was interrupted by Carla.

"Babe Just GO!" Carla said before turning to Michelle, allowing Peter to make himself scarce as Carla's Father approached the two-girls.

* * *

"_Who was that bloke?" He asked angrily as he walked-over to the pair of them._

"_What bloke?" Carla asked, pretending to be clueless as to who the guy…..Or Peter…..Was. _

_Carla's Father placed his hand tightly around Carla's shoulder. "Don't try and act all innocent with me young-lady." He said threateningly, squeezing her shoulder tightly. _

"_Dad get-off-of-me that hurts!" Carla shouted at her Dad. _

"_Not until you tell-me the truth!" He continued as he increased the pressure. _

"_Uh. Leave her alone!" Michelle told him firmly. _

"_Are you family? NO. So get-lost!" Carla Father replied to Michelle. _

"_I Said. Leave. Carla. ALONE!" Michelle said, beginning calmly, but ending-up with a scream. She spoke a little more forcefully this time as she grabbed the Man's arm and pulled-him away from Carla until he was forced to release the painful grip on her shoulder. _

"_Alright. Now I've let go of her. She can tell-me who that boy was!" Carla's Father demanded. _

"_HE WAS MY BOYFRIEND ALRIGHT?" Carla screeched, and her Father lunged at her, but Carla leaped backwards. _

"_Carla! Come-On Babe let's go!" Michelle said as she grabbed Carla's hand and ran-off with her, away from her dangerously seething Father._

* * *

It was dark when the girls eventually persuaded themselves to go back to Michelle's house, where they were sat in Michelle's bedroom, on her bed, as Carla rang Peter. It was better than hanging-round on the Streets of Manchester all-night.

**Peter: "**Hello?"

**Carla: "**Darlin' can you do me a massive favour?" She asked Peter tearfully.

**Peter: **"Of-Course I can. What do you want me to do?" He questioned, worried about Carla after almost getting-caught by her Father earlier-on.

**Carla: **"Could you come and pick-me-up from Michelle's? And I feel really bad for having to ask you this, but can I stay with you tonight?" Carla asked-him, she would usually have stayed at Michelle's but Dean was round at hers tonight. Why couldn't things be so easy with herself and Peter's relationship?

**Peter: **"Baby you can stay at mine anytime you like. I'll be right-over okay?" Peter told Carla before he then put the phone-down.

* * *

Peter ran-downstairs into the living-room as he grabbed his leather-jacket from the coat-hanger on his way-in.

"Dad, I'll be back in a bit okay?" Peter told his Dad.

"And where do you think you're going at this time of night?" Ken asked him suspiciously.

"My Friend….." Peter began but he was interrupted by Tracy.

"Girlfriend." She teased.

"My Friend is having a bit of s rough-time at home and needs somewhere to stay for the night. So she's gonna stay here for the night. Alright?" Peter told his Dad so that a refusal was simply just not an option.

"And this friend of yours, where is she gonna sleep ey?"

'_In my bed probably.' _Peter thought to himself.

"Urm…..I dunno, on the sofa I guess?" Peter suggested to his Dad and Tracy laughed at Peter's attempt to lie.

"Yeah right. Come-On just admit-it Peter, she's your girlfriend!" Tracy teased and Ken shot Peter a look which told Peter that his lies would be no-use anymore.

"ALRIGHT! She's my girlfriend okay?" Peter admitted, knowing that he was in for-it now, when all he wanted to do was to go and collect Carla.

"So you thought you'd lie to me. Make-up some poor excuse about a friend who's going through a rough-time at the moment, just so you could spent the night with your GIRLFRIEND?" Ken shouted at his son furiously.

"NO! Dad that bit's true. Carla's having a rubbish time at home at the moment, and I've already said that I'd go and collect-her, she'll be wondering where I've got too!" Peter told his Dad, frustrated with Tracy for purposely letting-it slip that Carla was his girlfriend. He could've been back here with Carla by now if it hadn't been her Tracy.

"Right. Well I suppose you better go and get her then. But this conversation isn't over Peter!" Ken called as Peter walked-out-of the front-door, slamming-it shut behind-him. But it was too-late, Peter was listening to a word that Ken was saying-now.

* * *

Peter arrived at Michelle's at the same-time as Dean as he knocked-against the front-door.

"Hey. Peter isn't it?" Dean asked.

"Yeah…..And you're Dean right? Michelle's boyfriend?" Peter double-checked.

"Correct." Dean said as Michelle answered the door, allowing a tearful Carla through as she fell straight into Peter's arms.

"Hiya Babe." Michelle said excitedly as she allowed-Dean through the front-door, before kissing-him and then turning her attention back to Carla and Peter.

"Carla. Don't worry okay. Everything is gonna be fine." Michelle tried to re-assure Carla before Peter wrapped his arm around her waist and led-her-away from Michelle's house and back to his house.

Michelle then turned-back to Dean and kissed-him passionately, leading-him-upstairs to her bedroom…..

* * *

Peter had soon arrived back home with Carla, at Number One Coronation Street and led-her-into the Living-Room.

"Carla. Meet my Dad…..And Deirdre, my Step-Mum…..And I think you've already met Tracy….." Peter said, introducing Carla to the family, and Carla smiled at them a little-awkwardly.

Ken and Deirdre both shot Carla fake-smiles before heading-off to get-on with their own-things, leaving Carla and Peter to it.

Peter sat-down on the sofa and urged Carla to sit-down next to him.

"Baby, are you sure it's okay for Me to be here?" Carla asked Peter, still a little-tearfully from before.

"Of-Course it is. Anyway, tell-me what happened with your Dad once I had gone.

"He knows about us…..That's all you need to know….." Carla trailed-off, nervously biting her nails as she refused to look Peter in the eyes.

"Carla come-on talk to me." Peter begged Carla gently as he placed his hand onto her shoulder, but Carls flinched from where her Dad had grabbed her there earlier-on.

"Carla what's wrong?" Peter asked Carla worriedly, removing his hand away from her shoulder immediately as he realised that he was causing her pain.

"It's nothing." Carla said, the first few tears falling from her eyes as Peter softly pushed her for more-answers.

"Don't say that. Because I know it's not Carla. Why did you flinch when I touched your shoulder just-now?" Peter asked-her sensitively.

Carla paused for a second as she finally looked Peter directly into the eyes, before pulling her top to the side a little to reveal her bruised shoulder.

"Carla. Did your Dad do that to you?" Peter asked, shocked when he realised that he didn't need an answer to that question, he already knew that he was right.

"What do you think Peter?" Carla cried to Peter in reply, and Peter pulled-Carla in for a hug, gently kissing Carla's cheek as she cried his shoulder.

"Oh Baby. Did he do this to you because of me?" Peter asked, feeling really-bad that he had caused Carla to get-hurt as he held her closely to his chest.

"Not Just You…..He does this if he sees me with any-old boy…..Don't blame yourself for this Peter…..It's not your fault….." Carla told Peter as she tried to sniffle the remainders of the tears-in.

"Well you can stay here tonight…..If it was up to me you could move-in…..But my Dad would never agree to it….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"Oh Peter I couldn't do that to your family, don't bother falling-out with your Dad over-it, 'cause believe-me Darlin', I'm not worth the fuss." Carla said as she looked-up at Peter.

"Carla, baby, of-course you're worth the fuss. But I won't do anything unless you ask-me too okay?" Peter re-assured Carla before they kissed each-other sweetly before embracing each-other in a tight-hug.

* * *

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	12. Breaking Point

**_A bit of a crazy chapter coming-up! Enjoy! _**

* * *

Carla woke-up the next-morning, squashed into Peter's single bed, led next to him as he slept whilst she cuddled-up to his chest.

"Peter." She whispered, but there was no-reply as he was still fast-asleep. "Peetterrr." She repeated, drawing it out a bit longer this time as she giggled at him sleeping. "Oy. You." She finally said, lightly tapping his chest a couple of times as she tried for the third time to wake-him-up. Peter eventually groaned as the light stung his eyes.

"Morning Sleepy-Head." Carla said sweetly and softly.

"Ugh." Peter replied.

"Ohhh look I've learnt something knew today already. Peter Barlow is NOT a morning person." Carla joked as she shuffled back a little to allow Peter to sit-up and stretch. Peter yawned as Carla climbed out of the bed. "Come-on you, we're gonna be late for college if you don't hurry-up." Carla said as she chucked a t-shirt over Peter's head.

Peter moved the t-shirt off his head and smiled at Carla. "I know baby, but we need to talk first…..I mean, as much as I'd love you to stay here, you…..No…..WE are gonna need to face your parents, especially your Dad, again at some-point." Peter told Carla truthfully as he moved-out of bed, shoved some jeans on and then pulled the t-shirt that Carla had just chucked at him over his head and put-it-on, before walking over to Carla, resting her hands on her waist as he waited for her to reply.

Carla frowned at the mentioned of her Mother and Father. "No, I'll deal with my Dad Peter, I don't want him to hurt-you. I'd never forgive myself if he hurt-you Baby." Carla told Peter as she rested her right-hand against his cheek.

"Carlaaa…..He won't hurt me. I promise you." Peter tried to re-assure Carla.

"No Peter. Don't promise me that. Because I know that you can't keep-it." Carla told-him, almost interrupting him as she heard him say the word 'promise' to her.

"Okay, I take that back. But he won't hurt me Carla. And I don't want him to hurt you either, which is why I want to go back there with you, before college. Sort things out, ya know?" Peter suggested to Carla, but he didn't know just how dangerous Carla's Father could be when he was really angry.

"No Peter! Can I just remind you of something here?" Carla said, raising her voice a little, but not too much as it was early morning. Carla pulled her top away from her shoulder and revealed the dark bruised that had formed, before she then sighed sadly, lowering the volume of her voice back-down again. "This is just a minor accident Peter! But I'm his Daughter, he has to hold back with me…..But with you…..He'd actually kill you Peter!" Carla sobbed as a couple of tears escaped her eyes.

"Carla that's not gonna happen." Peter said, naively, but Carla knew that he had no idea. The couple hugged and Carla decided to leave-it there for now as they went to get ready for college together.

* * *

The couple headed into College together. They had purposefully avoided Paul for most of the day, but there was no-escaping him as the three Connor Siblings appeared by the picnic benches that lunchtime.

Carla had spotted them from the other side of the field and had tried to put Peter-off going over there, but he wasn't having any of it.

"Peter, I can't face Paul, not today. I'm gonna have my parents giving me grief later-on this evening, I could do without Paul winding both of us now!" Carla told Peter, but Peter knew that unless they settled things with Paul now, then things never would settle between the three of them.

"No come-on love. We need to talk to him." Peter said as the couple walked together, hand-in-hand over to the Connors, Paul, Liam, and Michelle.

"Alright Liam, Michelle….." Peter paused briefly. "Paul." He finished.

"What do you want Peter?" Paul sighed with jealousy.

"Paul don't start!" Carla warned-him softly, she just dimply didn't have the energy for his arguments anymore.

"Carla?" Paul questioned as he stood-up and approached Carla. "Are you okay? 'Chelle told-me what happened?..." Paul trailed-off, worried about Carla as she clung onto Peter's arm for dear-life.

Carla glared at Michelle as if to say, how dare you tell-him about my home-life. But Paul already knew the basics anyway. She then turned back to Paul.

"I'm Fine." She said simply before looking-up at Peter. "Come-On Peter let's go." Carla said, trying to drag Peter-away, but he had a text from his Dad to read.

_**Ken: **I see Carla stayed with you last night. Don't change for her Peter…..Dad. X_

Peter sighed. "One second Car….." He told Carla as he read the text and then began to reply.

"Who's that?" Carla asked him.

"My Dad…..He's moaning that you slept with me last-night…..It's not like we even did anything….." Peter trailed-off, slightly irritated by his Dad's text. Paul laughed at Peter's comment. "Well why would she want to do anything with you?" Paul teased, but Peter looked-up at him with the foulest look on his face.

"Shut yer trap before I shut-it for ya mate." He replied aggressively, before sighing and then going back to the text from his Dad.

"Sooorrryyy….." Paul said sarcastically.

_**Peter: **Who sez she is makin me change Dad? Leave me b will ya? X_

Peter replied before throwing his phone to the ground and grabbing Paul by the front of his t-shirt, and violently pulling-him towards-him.

"Don't get sarcastic with me Pal!" Peter threatened as Carla tried to pull Peter away.

"Woah Peter. Calm-Down!" Carla told-him as she dragged Peter away from Paul, causing him to loose his grip on Paul. "What was that all about?" She asked him angrily.

Peter sighed. "I'm sorry. He just gets on my nerves that's all." He revealed to Carla, but Carla knew that there was more to it than that.

"No Peter, this isn't all Paul's fault ya know. What's wrong?" Carla asked him, worried about her boyfriend as she cupped his face into her hands. "Come-on Baby tell-me. Please tell-me what's wrong?" She asked, practically begging-him to do so.

"You've gotta face your parents tonight after your Dad caught us together yesterday, and you won't let-me be there to protect you and to hold-you. I'm just worried about you that's all. I don't want you to get hurt Carla." Peter told her sweetly as Carla pulled-him in for a hug.

"Oh Darlin'. You don't need to worry about me okay? I can look after myself…..I've had to ever since my brother went to Prison." Carla told Peter truthfully as she leaned-in to give Peter a comforting kiss on the lips. Peter then took a few deep-breaths-in and headed back-over to Paul.

"Paul. I'm sorry for grabbing you like that alright mate?" Peter apologized meaningfully.

"S'alright. But don't go thinking for minute that I like you Barlow." Paul replied nastily.

"Yeah well nothing's changed then has it?" Peter said to Paul before turning-back-around to face Carla again as he began to walk-off. "I need a fag….." Peter trailed-off as he headed-towards the college gates, pulling a lighter and a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket as he did so.

"Dirty Smoker….." Paul muffled as Carla sat-down inbetween Michelle and Liam on the College Picnic Bench.

"OY! He's apologised now leave-him-alone will ya?" Carla warned Paul as Peter disappeared out of sight and of ear-shot of them all.

"So, how are things at home then girl?" Michelle asked Carla, concerned for her best-friend.

"That's what I'm going-to find-out this evening….." Carla replied worriedly before standing-up again and walking-away, she didn't want to talk about this anymore.

"Carla!" Michelle called.

"I'll text you okay?" Carla called back as she ran-off, trying to stop herself from crying as she did so.

* * *

College had soon finished and Carla was walking-home alone, but truth was that she didn't want anyone with her, the less people involved with her home-life the better, and she was glad that she had managed to avoid Peter as she walked-out of college that day, but what she couldn't avoid was him texting her. Carla pulled her phone out of her pocket and then read the message from Peter.

_**Peter: **I luv u. Hope everyfin is ok at home. Come-straight-over if u need sumwer 2 stay 4 the nite. U don't need 2 ask. XXX _

Carla smiled at the text, he really was a sweetie and Carla adored him for that very fact. Carla put her phone away and walked the rest of the way home. As she reached the front-door, she leant against the wall outside and got her phone out again so that she could reply to Peter.

_**Carla: **I'll be fine. Wish me luck. XxX _

Carla replied before taking a deep-breath-in and then pushing the door open, both her Mother and Father were already-home.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd be home." Her Dad said; a held-back dark-anger could be sensed through his voice.

"What so you'd have someone to take your bad-mood out on?" Carla replied blankly.

"Don't speak to your Dad like that!" Her Mum snapped viciously in reply.

"Why Not? It's not my fault he can't hold down a job because he refuses to accept that he can't control his fists!" Carla responded, finishing with a shout as the volume of her voice grew-louder throughout the sentence.

"Are you saying I'm violent?" Carla's Father asked, his teeth-gritted as he did so.

"Yes. Maybe I am!" Carla shouted as she revealed the bruise on her shoulder from the events of yesterday. "Look what you did to me Dad! All because I have a boyfriend! I mean, what Dad does that, no-wonder Rob is in prison with the likes of you as a Father!" She screamed as tears streamed down her face, terrified as to what was going to happen next. She had never spoken face-to-face like this with both of her parents, and she wasn't sure ho they were going to take-it.

"Yeah well count yourself lucky, because the next-time I see that boyfriend of yours, he's dead-meat, and trust-me Carla, he's gonna end-up a lot worse-off that you did. No boy snatches my Daughter away from me like that! I bed you stayed at his like that didn't ya?" He spoke threateningly, and Carla knew that he meant every-word of what he was saying. Peter needed protecting now more than ever.

As tears streamed down Carla's face, she found the strength to reply to her Dad. "Dad you can't hurt Peter! He's been nothing but lovely and supportive of me I promise you! And he'd never try and steal-me away from-you. Peter just wants the best for me. Unlike YOU!" She shouted as her phone bleeped. Bad timing Peter.

_**Peter: **Gd Luck. Remember I luv u baby. XXX. _

Before Carla had the chance to put her phone-away, her Father had grabbed-it off of her, read the text, and thrown the phone at the wall so it smashed into pieces.

"Remember I love you baby?" He quoted angrily. "Oh well isn't he just the sweetest thing ever." He said with an angry and bully-like sarcasm. "That _'Peter' _of yours is really in for it now!" He shouted, but it was too late, Carla had ran out of the house, slamming the door-shut behind-her, terrified of what was going to happen next if she stayed-around in that place for a single-second longer.

* * *

She ran as fast as she could to Peter's and slammed against the front-door.

Ken answered the door.

"Carla?" He asked, concerned by the state of her. Her make-up was running-down her face as she was soaking-wet and only just managed to get her words out to him to reply as she was crying so much.

"Oh Hello Mr Barlow. Can I see Peter please?" Carla cried.

"Urm…..Yes…..Come-on-in." Ken told Carla. He may not have liked Carla all that much, but no-one deserved to be in the state that she was in right-now. Ken wouldn't even wish that on his worst-enemy.

Peter appeared in the corridor as Ken let Carla past-him.

"Carla? What's wrong? What's happened?" Peter asked worriedly.

"He's wrecked my phone and I'm worried as to what else he'll wreck…..Or who else for that matter!" Carla cried, physically shaking with fear as she spoke to Peter. Peter sighed sadly as he gently placed a hand round the back of Carla's head and then softly pushed her head down so that it was resting against his chest. He kissed the top of her head as she cried her eyes out. "It's okay baby. You're safe now." Peter whispered to her as he led-her into the living-room.

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_


	13. Choices

Peter sat Carla down next to him on the sofa and cuddled her into his chest.

"Calm-Down Baby." Peter whispered into her ear as his Father entered the room with Deirdre. "Dad, where's Tracy?" He asked, hoping they wouldn't have to deal with Tracy's immature re-marks this evening.

"She's at a friend's house. Now listen Carla, I'm sorry this is really none of my business, but I'm really quite concerned that you seem to spend most of your time at this house in floods of tears…..And I'd just like to say, if I can help in anyway…..Then I will….." Ken kindly offered to Carla, as he sat-down in his arm-chair with Deirdre stood just behind him.

"Yeah, Ken's right Carla, if you need us to do anything…..We will….." Deirdre added-on.

"Listen, thank-you…..That's really kind-of you….. But I can't ask you to get involved with all of this….." Carla trailed-off tearfully.

"Carla, they might be able to help." Peter told Carla softly as he held her closely.

"No…..Thanks but no thanks, ya know?" Carla said, a little more firmly this-time, she refused to let Peter's family get mixed-up in all of this, eventually, it would only lead to someone getting-hurt, usually the innocent party.

"Hmmm, as-long as you're sure Carla….." Ken trailed-off, unsure if he should be allowing Peter to deal with this alone.

"Peter could I have a word outside please?" Ken requested as he walked-out the back, into their back garden/patio.

"Urm…..Yeah, I guess?" Peter replied, slightly confused as to what his Father wanted to talk to him about. "I'll be back in a minute baby." He told Carla gently, softly the kissing side of her head before getting-up to go and speak to his Dad whilst Deirdre went and sat next to an obviously terrified Carla to try and comfort her.

* * *

Peter sat on the bench outside as he waited for his Dad to begin. "What did ya want then Dad? I need to get back to Carla!" Peter told-him, a little-irritated that he had been drawn-away from his upset-girlfriend.

"I know you do Peter…..You chose a difficult one there didn't you?" Ken asked, a little worried as to just what his son was getting himself into here…..

"Dad, what are you on about?" Peter asked.

"Well, as I said before, every-time I see that girl she's in tears." Ken revealed to Peter truthfully.

"That _'Girl' _is called Carla, and she has a lot of problems that I'm trying my best to help her through." Peter said as he stood-up to confront his Dad face-to-face.

"Yes and I don't doubt that you are Peter…..But this also makes me wonder whether you actually love her….."

"You WHAT?" Peter interrupted his Father furiously.

"Let me finish!" Ken began. "It makes me wonder whether you love her…..Or whether you just feel sorry for her…..And I don't blame you…..Because it's an easy thing to get confused at that age….." He tried to reason with Peter.

"DAD!" Peter shouted at Ken. "I love Carla. I loved her before I knew what she was going-through at the moment, and I still love-her now that she is…..And yeah…..Maybe I do feel sorry for her…..But that's only because I flamin' LOVE HER!" He told his Dad behind gritted-teeth before storming back-inside.

* * *

Peter stood in the kitchen and took three deep-breaths to calm-himself-down a little before Carla could see-him. He soon walked back-over to Carla and Deirdre moved-out of the way so that he could see next to her again.

"Heyyy….." Peter began sympathetically with a gentle-smile. "You look a bit happier now, has Deirdre worked her magic again? She's good at that….." Peter joked with a quiet-laugh as he sat-back-down next to Carla, putting his arm around her again. Just because he was annoyed with his Dad, that didn't mean that he had to take-it-out on Deirdre, and Peter had learnt that over the year.

"Yeah, Deirdre's been amazing, and she makes the best cups of tea I have ever tasted." Carla said with a tearful giggle.

"Well Good. Thanks Deirdre." Peter said gratefully as Ken walked-back-into the room. He glared at his Dad before sighing and then turning back to Carla. "Come-On Baby, let's go upstairs….." Peter said as he stood-up, and Carla followed-him as he lead her upstairs. "I know what'll cheer you up….." He added-on cheekily as he winked at her, and Carla smiled genuinely for what seemed like the first time today as far as Peter was concerned.

* * *

Ken sat-back-down in his chair and sighed as Deirdre watched him. "He's growing-up love. You've just gotta let-him deal with this by himself…..You know that he'll come to you if he needs you for anything….." Deirdre tried to re-assure her husband, but with little-success.

"Yes, but he's still my little-boy…..And Carla is still someone's little-girl…..And I'm just not sure that Peter should be getting involved with her…..That's all….." Ken trailed-off.

"That's all? Ken what do you mean by 'that's all?' We don't know the first thing about Carla, and we don't know how Peter feels about her. I know you just want the best for Peter love, but maybe you should give him some space…..Him AND Carla…..Ey?" Deirdre suggested to Ken calmly.

"Hmmm…..I just want to protect my son Deirdre…..He's lost his Mother and his twin-sister…..And you're right, we don't know the first thing about Carla….." Ken paused. "But if Carla is going through hell at the moment, she's not going to be thinking straight, and I just don't want Peter to loose someone-else who he loves…..And he says he loves her…..I don't want to believe him…..But if he does love her…..Then it's only gonna cause him more heartbreak…..Something which he really doesn't need….." He finished before heading back-outside again for some fresh-air.

* * *

Back-upstairs Carla rolled away from Peter with a smile on her face. "Oh I do love you Peter." She said as she led on her side, using her elbow to prop herself-up as she faced Peter and gently rubbed the side of his arm. "Thank-You for cheering-me-up." Carla told Peter sweetly.

"Anytime….." Peter trailed-off as he climbed out of bed and put his jeans back-on, then sighed as he wass reminded of his conversation with his Dad earlier.

"Are you okay darlin'?" Carla asked Peter, worried about him as he stood-up and refused to look at her or even face her way for that matter.

"I'm fine….." He replied quietly.

An awkward silence was left in the room as Carla as she put her clothes back on as she thought about what to do before finally deciding on getting to the point and wrapping her arms around Peter's bare-stomach from behind-him, resting her chin against his shoulder.

"You are so not fine baby. Come-On. Tell-me what's up?" Carla asked-him, a little-playfully to try and make-him smile a little.

Peter sighed. "Ah it's nothing baby…..It's just something my Dad said earlier, it's really…..Cheesed me off…..Ya know?"

"Yeah I can see that sweetheart, what's he said?" Carla asked.

"Nothing….." Peter said, moving Carla's hands away from him and then getting his t-shirt and putting-it back-on. "But listen, I don't care about that…..Maybe you should tell-my Dad about what's happening with you and your parents….." Peter suggested.

"No." Carla said straight-away, suddenly tensing-up at the very-thought of telling someone about her parents.

"But I think it might help him to trust you and like you a little-bit more…..And he could probably help you somehow…..He could help US!" Peter tried to convince Carla, but she was having none of it.

"I said NO…..Peter." Carla said, more firmly this time. After a short-pause, Carla walked-up to Peter and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Come-here Baby. This isn't gonna come between us. My parents have wrecked most other things in my life they're not gonna wreck my relationship with you aswell…..I won't let-them!" She told-him before she then leaned-in and kissed-him passionately on the lips.

"I Love You Carla." Peter whispered to her gently as he enveloped her in a loving-hug. And it was true, Peter did love Carla, but he was desperate to tell-his-Dad about what was going-on with Carla, he needed to know, but Peter didn't want to go against Carla's wishes, and the last-thing Carla needed was her own boyfriend going behind her back…..But Peter couldn't help but think that maybe it would be for the best…..

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	14. Fathers

_**Thanks for all of the reviews guys! They are really encouraging. A slightly crazy chapter coming-up. Expect the unexpected.**_

* * *

Peter didn't sleep a wink that night. He didn't know what to do. If he told his Dad, then Carla would hate him for it, but then again, if he didn't tell-someone and fast then this situation was just going to spiral out of control, and someone was going to get hurt.

7am soon arrived and the alarm-clock started ringing. A sleepy Carla slowly awoke in Peter's arms, he was already awake.

"Morning." She said tiredly as she sat-herself-up and then climbed out of bed and looked at Peter. "Come-On you, we need to get ready for college!" Carla told Peter; that was typical Carla; she just had to be on time for everything. Her childhood had taught her that being late was dangerous, and that routine was well-drummed into Carla now.

"Urgh. I'm staying home today baby. I don't feel too good. I barely slept last night." Peter told Carla…..Well, the last bit was true…..He hadn't slept that night, but that was because Peter had made a decision. He was going to talk to his Father, but he couldn't do that with Carla around, so skiving college was the only way to get his Dad on his own.

"Awww Babe." Carla sighed, pulling an over-exaggerated sad-face at Peter as she climbed back into bed with him and kissed him on the cheek. Peter groaned as she did so, trying to convince her that he really was ill, even-though he was faking-it.

"Oh Dear. If you're feeling that bad, then maybe I should stay with ya, 'Chelle would cover for me at college….." Carla suggested.

"No Car, I can't have you catching whatever I've got. No. You go to college baby, and I'll try and sleep this off okay?" Peter told Carla and was glad when she nodded in agreement. He had managed to convince her that he was ill; now all he had to do was talk to his Dad.

* * *

Carla met-up with the Connors before college started early that morning. Although, Carla was still a bit weary of Paul ever-since he had beaten-Peter-up like that and then threatened-him, but they had known each-other for years, so the least she could do was to be civil with him, even if she hated-him right-now.

Liam and Paul approached Carla first, closely followed by a loved-up Michelle who had Dean attached to her arm.

"Heya Babe. Where's Peter today?" Michelle asked as Dean excused himself from the conversation to go and chat to Paul and Liam across the way a little-bit.

"He's not very-well…..I hope all this stress with me hasn't made him ill 'Chelle…" Carla trailed-off worriedly.

"Oh Darlin' I'm sure it hasn't…..He's probably just caught the latest-bug going round or something…..I wouldn't worry about him too much….." Michelle tried to re-assure her friend.

"Yeah…..We almost fell-out last-night…..I mean…..we didn't…..but….." Carla trailed-off.

"But what?" Michelle asked.

"But he don't half come out with some stupid things sometimes 'Chelle…..Like…..He suggested that we told his flamin' Dad about my failure's for parents….." Carla revealed to Michelle.

"Well maybe that's not such a bad idea Carla babe….."

"Urgh, I knew you'd side with Peter…..Well anyway I said No and that was that…..He didn't seem too happy about it but if he loves me as much as I love him then he'll settle for a no….." Carla told Michelle confidently, but Michelle was a bit more switched-on than Carla, and she had caught-on as to just what Peter was upto.

Michelle sighed as she looked-at Carla. "So did Peter say he was ill this morning then?" She asked cautiously.

"Yes…..Why?" Carla asked slightly confused.

"Did he look ill?" Michelle interrogated.

"He looked like he'd had no sleep….."I mean…..What normal teenage boy is awake before their alarm-clock unless they've been-up half the night?" Carla giggled, but Michelle didn't find-it quite so amusing.

"So is Peter's Dad gonna stay-home and look-after him then?" She questioned.

"Yeah I guess so…..Look 'Chelle what's the point of this conversation?" Carla asked, really confused and slightly to worried as to what Michelle was playing-at now.

"Nothing….." Michelle replied…..She had to let Carla figure this one out for herself…..What if she was wrong and Peter really ill? She'd be in so much trouble with Carla then.

* * *

Later that morning, Peter wandered downstairs and found his Dad sat at the living-room table, having caught-up on a couple of hours of missed-sleep.

"Ah Peter!" Ken greeted his son cheerfully. "Carla said you weren't feeling too good. Are you feeling any better?" He asked genuinely.

"I'm fine Dad. Look, are Deirdre and Tracy in?" Peter questioned.

"No. Deirdre's at work and Tracy is at school…..And Peter if you're fine then why did you tell Carla that you were ill, and why aren't you at college?" Ken asked, concerned that Peter was skiving.

"Because Dad…..I need to talk to ya…..And Just You. No Deirdre. No Tracy. And most-certainly no Carla. Just you." Peter told his Dad firmly, being blunt about the situation because he had to be.

"So you thought you'd skive college…..And even lie to your girlfriend to do that did you?" Ken said, playing the typical Father-Figure role-here.

"Yes I did Dad okay, now just listen to me will you? I need to talk to ya about why Carla's been so upset recently!" Peter blurted-out, figuring that this would be the best-way to get-through this conversation.

"Go-On….." Ken responded curiously to Peter.

"It's Carla's parents…..They've been rubbish to Carla, Dad…..And they still are…..Carla's Mum spends most of her time high on all sorts of drugs…..And her Dad, well he's…..He's violent okay? And I don't know what to do. Carla's Dad has threatened Carla that he'll hurt-me if he ever sees me again…..But Me and Carla love each-other Dad…..And I want to be with her for the rest of my life…..But I'm struggling to see how that's possible with the way things are going…..Ah Man Carla's gonna kill-me if she finds-out that I've told-you all of this….." Peter said as he began to pace nervously up and down the living-room.

"Peter calm-down. Thank-You for telling-me the truth son, whether Carla wanted you too or not is another matter, but that took courage, and I praise you for that. It's obvious to me Peter that you need to stay well clear of Carla's parents, and maybe even her house too for that very-reason….." Ken suggested to Peter, and he nodded-in agreement.

"Well that's why Carla's been staying here a lot recently, because I can't stay there….." Peter replied nervously as he sat-down on the sofa.

"Okay…..Well I know you're not going-to like this idea Peter, but maybe I should talk to Carla's parents? Try and come to some sort-of mutual-agreement….." Ken suggested once-again.

"Dad. No! You can't do that!" Peter said to his Father worriedly, knowing that-that would only make things 10 Times worse if he got his-own Father involved with speaking to Carla's parents.

"Well I'm sorry Peter, but I think I'm going to have to." Ken broke the bad-news to his son. "Now what is Carla's address?" He asked.

"I'm not gonna tell ya Dad, this isn't gonna help, I told you because I wanted advice not because I wanted Daddy to the rescue!" Peter said, slightly annoyed of his Dad's ignorance to see the danger of the situation for Peter and Carla.

"Well Peter, if you refuse to tell-me, then go to college…..You're not ill, go-on go!" Ken ushered Peter out of the front-door, knowing fully-well that Peter wasn't going to college, but he would definitely meet Carla later. Ken considered following the pair of them to find-out where Carla lived, but he hated the thought that he was potentially putting his son in danger.

* * *

That afternoon, Peter met Carla outside of college, being careful not to be seen by anyone who would know that he wasn't in today and was supposedly meant to be 'ill.'

"Hey Baby, are you feeling better then?" Carla asked Peter as she approached-him with Michelle.

"Yeah thanks, I just needed to sleep it all off that's all." Peter told both of the girls with a smile.

"Or you weren't ill in the first-place….." Michelle mumbled under-her-breath, to herself so Carla and Peter couldn't understand quite just what she was saying properly.

"What was that 'Chelle?" Carla questioned.

"Oh Nothing Babe….." Michelle trailed-off. "Anyway, look I best be getting-off, I'm staying at Dean's tonight!" She said excitedly before then wandering-off to Dean's as happy as Larry, trying to put the fact that Peter had lied to Carla to the back of her mind.

"Listen, I was thinking, you seem to be staying at mine a lot now…..Which isn't a problem, I love having you with me, but maybe we should pop back to yours ey?" Peter suggested to Carla.

"I guess my Dad will still be out drinking so I suppose we could go back there eh? Check the Mother's still alive and as high as a kite….." Carla giggled as her and Peter headed-back to her place, hand-in-hand.

* * *

As Carla opened the front-door, her Father appeared in the doorway and immediately had Peter pinned-up against the nearest-wall. "So you're lover boy are you? Well I suggest you get out of 'ere boy before I knock your flamin' head-off!" He threatened Peter viciously and aggressively as Ken arrived behind Carla and tugged at her Father's shirt so he was forced to let-go of Peter.

"Don't you dare threaten my son like that! Or you'll have me to answer to!" Ken shouted at the man. But he just smirked.

"And who do you think you are? Super Daddy? Well sorry to disappoint yer mate but this is one battle that you're gonna loose!" Carla's Dad said evilly as he suddenly turned on Ken, punching him in the jaw, and knocking him to the ground as his head hit the stone-cold concrete, leaving Ken unconscious.

"DAD!" Peter shouted as he crouched down next to his Father, almost in tears as he spotted blood underneath his Dad's head.

"YOU IDIOT! I HATE YOU!" Carla screeched at her Father, hitting him violently in the chest until he was inside the door, before taking a step-away and then slamming the door, using her key to lock him inside as she left her key in the key-hole so he would struggle to get-out again unless he slammed the door down himself.

"Peter is he conscious?" Carla asked in floods of tears as she crouched down next to Peter who was ringing for an ambulance.

"I don't think so….." Peter said, also in tears himself as he searched his Father to find a pulse somewhere on him.

"You weren't ill at all were you? You lied to me Peter! I told you not to get your Dad involved!" Carla blurted-out, but this was the wrong-time for arguments, all that mattered-now was getting Ken to hospital as soon as possible.

"SHUT-UP CARLA" Peter yelled into her face, but he was just worried about his Dad. Yeah, ambulance please….."

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	15. At The Hospital

The ambulance had soon arrived and an unconscious Ken was rushed to hospital by the paramedics, Carla and Peter in tow.

As Ken was wheeled into Resus, Carla and Peter were stopped by a Nurse.

"Sorry Guys, I'm afraid I can't let you in here. If you go and get yourselves a drink and then grab a seat in the waiting area and I'll come and fetch you when we have some news okay?" The Nurse told-them softly, she was concerned that these two teenagers had to deal with this all by themselves, but she couldn't stay with, she had a job to do.

"But he's my DAD!" Peter shouted whilst in floods of tears.

"I'm Sorry." The Nurse replied walking into Resus and closing the door behind her, leaving Peter and Carla alone.

"Oh Baby come-here." Carla said softly, just managing to stop herself from crying anymore as she cradled Peter's top-half into her arms. She had to be strong…..For Peter if no-one else at the moment.

Carla walked Peter into the waiting area and sat him down before going over to the water-dispenser and getting both herself and Peter a glass of water.

"Here ya go darlin'. Have this." Carla told Peter softly as she handed him the plastic-cup with water in it. Peter downed the cup in one before throwing it the floor and then putting his head into his hands and sighing to himself.

"Come-On Babe. Be strong ey?" Carla said as she took her place next to Peter and placed her hand on his back, rubbing it slowly in soothing circles.

"Deirdre. She needs to know." Peter said, suddenly looking-up with a slightly lost facial-expression as though he didn't know what to do. Carla realised this and took action.

"Well give me yer phone and I'll ring her then." Carla suggested to Peter. She was still angry with him for getting his Dad involved in all of this when she had specifically told him not to. But now wasn't the time for arguments. Peter was devastated and Carla just wanted to give-him all the support that she could at the moment.

* * *

Peter handed Carla his phone and she rang Deirdre to break the bad-news to her...

_**A Couple Of Minutes Into The Phone Conversation. **_

_**Deirdre: **Ya what? Oh My Gosh. Is he okay? _

_**Carla: **We don't know yet. We're still waiting for news. _

_**Deirdre: **Okay well I'll just go and fetch Tracy from school and then I'll be right over. How's Peter bearing up? He adores his Dad ya know Carla?_

_**Carla: **I know he does. Peter's okay I suppose…..Well as okay as he can be at the moment…..Look Deirdre I'm so sorry about all of this…..I feel responsible because it was MY Dad's fault that Ken's lying in that hospital bed…..I can't help but think that there was something that I could've done to stop this from happening…..I could have been more careful or something….._

_**Deirdre: **Oh No Carla. Don't blame yourself for this. Look, let's just concentrate on Ken for now shall we? We'll deal with the rest later alright? _

_**Carla: **Okay. See you in a bit then Deirdre. _

_**Deirdre: **Yeah. Okay. Cya Then Carla._

* * *

As Carla put the phone-down, the Nurse from earlier approached the two of them, and both Carla and Peter rose to their feet immediately and ran-over to the Nurse.

"How is he?" Peter asked, tearfully.

"Conscious. But only just. He lost quite a lot of blood whilst he was unconscious and he was out of it for quite a while. We've given him a small-amount of morphine to try and numb the pain little, but the knock to his head is quite serious, he'll be in here for a good-few-days I should think. But he's in the best-care possible and he should make a full-recovery." The Nurse told-them as another few-tears fell-down from Peter's eyes and onto his cheeks. Carla held him closely as he tried to stop himself from crying again, wiping away the tears as they hit his cheeks.

"Hey Baby that's good-news." Carla whispered to Peter, trying to be positive where he couldn't be.

"Can we see him now?" Peter questioned.

"Yes…..You can see him. But be gentle okay. Your Father needs to stay as relaxed as possible at the moment.

Deirdre and Tracy arrived through the doors just as the Nurse was showing them to his Father's room.

"Peter!" Deirdre called, and Peter and Carla both stopped as the Nurse looked-over at Deirdre.

"Are they family?" The Nurse asked Peter, but he had already ran-over to Deirdre and Tracy and hugged them both tightly.

"The Lady is Ken's wife and the girl is Tracy, her daughter." Carla revealed to the Nurse as they walked-back-over to them.

* * *

The four of them headed-in together and Ken produced a small-smile as he watched his family, and Carla walk-into the room.

"Dad!" Peter cried as he ran-over to Ken and gave his Father a gentle-hug. Ken hugged him back as the temptation to cry returned and Peter then just burst into floods of tears.

"Hello Peter." Ken said tiredly as he tapped Peter's back before he thee pulled-sway from the hug and stood-next to his Dad's bed. It was obvious that Ken was in a state and in a lot of pain.

"I'm so sorry Dad. I should never have got you involved in all of this." Peter cried as he felt Carla's supportive arms wrap around his stomach from behind and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Don't blame yourself baby." Carla whispered into Peter's ears. "You weren't the one who did this to him."

"Carla's right Peter." Deirdre said as she ushered Tracy over to the bed to see her Step-Dad, but Ken and Deirdre had considered having Tracy adopted by Ken. "This isn't your fault. Neither is it yours Carla." Deirdre added, remaining surprisingly calm about the whole situation.

"Peter." Ken began as he reached his hand up to his son's cheek and pushed-it towards him, forcing Peter to look at his Father. "You're my only son and I love you. Don't blame yourself for this." He told Peter, his throat still dry and his voice still croaky from where he had been unconscious for so long.

"I love you too Dad." Peter replied, breathing-in as he tried to stop himself from crying-again. Not infront of his Dad.

Tracy walked-over to her kind-of brother and placed her hand onto his shoulder. "He'll be alright ya know?" She said softly to Peter before kissing his cheek and then walking back-over to her Mother, Deirdre.

"Peter why don't you and Carla go back home ey? And by home I mean to ours and not Carla's obviously. You can sort yourself out then, your probably still in shock love. I mean, it must have been hard seeing what you saw happen to your Father today." Deirdre tried to reason softly with an obviously upset Peter.

"No. I don't want to leave-him. What if something happens and I'm not here?" Peter panicked as Carla tried to pull-him away.

"Then Deirdre will ring ya! Won't ya Deirdre?" Carla asked and Deirdre nodded. "Come-On Baby. You're no use to anyone whilst you're like this. Let's go home ey?" Carla said, and Peter finally agreed as she put an arm around his waist and led him out of the room and out of the hospital.

* * *

Back at Peter's house, Peter's feelings of shock and upset had been replaced by blame and anger.

"I want to see my Dad…..I NEED to see my Dad." He said as he sat on the sofa and smoked a fag in the living-room.

"Peter no you don't. You've seen him and he's doing well. And I know he's still in a critical condition. But he'll be fine for tonight. Besides if you go and see him now you'll make him breathless just with the smell of ya breath. Peter this is yer third cigarette and we've only just go back. Take it easy will ya?" Carla suggested as she pulled the cigarette away from Peter's mouth and stubbed-it out into Deirdre's ash-tray, which was on the living-room table.

"And who are you? My MOTHER? No that's right. You're not. Because MY Mother is dead! DEAD Carla! And maybe if she was still alive then none of this would of happened!" Peter shouted furiously.

"What you mean really by that is…..That you would never have met-me, and we would have never fallen-in love and then my Dad wouldn't have knocked your Dad unconscious and he wouldn't be in hospital right-now having just had his life-saved by the Doctors and Nurses! Well I'm sorry Peter but if you think like that then you're pretty darn stupid if you ask me?" Carla said, a little irritated by Peter's attitude. She could understand him being upset, and even angry…..But Carla wasn't to blame for this and she didn't see why Peter should be taking his frustrations out on her.

"BUT IT'S TRUE AIN'T IT?" Peter shouted. "If my Mum was still alive then we wouldn't have grown close, because we only grew close because I was upset that my Mum was DEAD!"

"What are you saying Peter? Are ya saying that you never really loved-me?" Carla asked, shocked by what Peter was saying, but she knew as well as anyone that he wasn't thinking straight right-now.

Peter sighed sadly. "Nooo. Nooo. Look, I'm sorry alright? It's just…..Ah I can't deal with this!" Peter said frustratedly, with a raised-voice rather than a shout this time.

But it was too late for apologies. Carla didn't get him. She had been nothing but supportive of him and he was taking his anger out on her, as if this was all her fault.

"Peter the reason you can't deal with this is because you are the one who got your Dad involved with all of this in the first-place." Carla said, fed-up of shouting, but it was the truth. This wasn't Peter's fault, but he could have prevented-it from happening.

"I got my Dad involved because there was nothing left for me to do apart from getting the police involved!" Peter replied to her.

"But you lied to me Peter! You lied!" Carla said, slightly frustratedly.

"I'm Sorry!" Peter cried. "I'm Sorry." He repeated with a whisper as he broke-down.

"Hey. It's Okay." Carla responded with a tender-softness in her voice. Watching Peter crying his heart-out just broke her heart. He didn't need this. Not Now. "It's Alright Baby. I forgive ya okay?" She whispered into Peter's ear as she held-him closely into her arms.

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	16. Back To Reality

Carla and Peter awoke on the sofa, they must have dropped-off there last-night. Deirdre and Tracy had stayed at the hospital with Ken so it was just the two of them, alone together. Carla was led on-top of Peter as he slept, but she was already awake. As her eyes focussed, she was reminded of what had happened yesterday with Ken and everything. Deciding to let Peter sleep, figuring that he spent most of last-night in tears and probably wouldn't have slept much, Carla climbed-off-of him. She went into the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea, before making Peter a cup of coffee, knowing that he wouldn't be awake long after her once she turned the lights on and started moving-about the house.

As she heard the kettle boil, she heard Peter begin to stir so let the boiled water cool-down as she approached a sleepy Peter. "Morning." Carla said quietly as she crouched-down besides Peter.

"Hey." Peter replied, struggling to smile as he remembered that his very-own Father was currently lying in a hospital-bed because he had gotten-him involved.

"I'm just boiling the kettle. Is that okay sweetheart?" Carla softly checked with Peter.

"Of-Course it is. Make yourself at home." Peter said tiredly as he slowly began to sit-up on the sofa.

"Okay." Carla said, giving Peter a sympathetic smile as she rested her right hand against his nearest cheek. "Did you sleep at all last-night Baby?" Carla asked him. She knew she needed to face-up to her parents again at some-point but right-now, Peter was her priority.

"Not really." Peter said as he sighed sadly. "Listen we need to get to college." He added, keen to get back there, he didn't want people's sympathy; he just wanted everything to get back to normal.

"No sweetheart not today. Look, Deirdre said on the phone-last-night that she'd ring-us again when they heard anything about your Dad, so why don't we just stay here until then ey?" Carla suggested, but Peter wasn't having any of it.

"No Carla. I mean, I might have an excuse to miss college, but they'll just think that you're skiving. And the longer we leave-it, the more awkward things are gonna be with Paul, and that's the last-thing we need right-now." Peter replied, softly but also firmly at the same-time, before standing-up as if to go and get himself washed and dressed for college.

"Peter, you've had no sleep and your Dad is lying in a hospital bed. Come-On Babe, you need to rest and get your head together!" Carla told Peter, her voice slightly louder now as she gently grabbed Peter's arm and pulled-him closer to her.

"And what about you Carla?! Your Dad is gonna get-himself locked-up the minute I get to the police about this and where are you? Here with me because it's no-longer safe for you to stay with your parents. Maybe going to college will take our minds off-of everything." Peter said, refusing to give-in.

Carla sighed, realising that she had no-choice with this one, she was going to have to let Peter go to college, but she wasn't leaving-him-alone. She wanted to keep an eye on him today and make sure that he was alright and didn't end-up doing something stupid.

As the couple reached the college gates together, Michelle ran-up to Carla and hugged-her tightly.

"Carla!" She said as she released the hug from her.

"Alright Peter? Are ya feeling better?" Michelle asked-him.

"Getting there….." Peter trailed-off, looking-down sadly. He wasn't really in the mood to talk, but he was sure that once college started he'd be fine, but Carla wasn't so sure.

"Darlin' can I tell 'Chelle about what's happened?" Carla asked, feeling the need to explain to Michelle why Peter wasn't his usual-self today.

"Urm….." Peter paused shakily. "Yeah just urm…..Just the basics though eh Baby?" He requested and Carla nodded sympathetically.

"Erm, there was a bit of a scrap last-night between Peter's Dad, Ken, and mine…..And basically it was my Dad doing the scrapping and now Peter's Dad is lying in a hospital bed….." Carla trailed-off and Michelle looked shocked, placing a comforting hand onto Peter's shoulder as Paul and Liam approached the three of them. Bad Timing Boys.

"Hey listen Peter, Carla already knows this, but if you two need anything, and I mean anything whatsoever, then just come to me alright." Michelle kindly offered.

"Alright Peter?" Paul said patronisingly but also sarcastically as he took a look at Peter.

"Not today Paul." Peter said, not in the mood to deal with Paul right at this minute.

"Awww why not? I quite enjoy winding you up. Ah well, you do look a bit urm…..Disgusting is the word for you I think mate." Paul continued, unaware of Peter's situation at the minute.

Peter took a deep-breath-in, he wasn't going to rise to this, he couldn't, and he had to stay out of trouble for the sake of his Father. "Not. Today. Paul." He repeated with gritted-teeth.

"Did I say that when you got together with the girl that I LOVE?!" Paul teased with an evil intent. "Not today Peter. Don't get with the woman I love today! Tomorrow perhaps but not today Peter?" He continued to mock Peter. "NO. I didn't did I mate. Anyway, you look like my girl Carla has been working you hard." Paul laughed in Peter's face.

"You have no idea what Peter's been through recently Paul!" Carla shouted.

"Oh I think I do…..Why do you think we haven't seen much of our Car recently ey Liam? She's been 'busy' with her boyfriend hasn't she mate?" Paul said, winding Peter-up further and further until he reached breaking-point and grabbed the front of Paul t-shirt pulling him forwards so he was inches away from Peter's face.

Peter took a deep-breath-in before speaking to Paul in a menacing whisper. "Not so cocky now are ya Mate? Like Carla said, you have no idea what I've been through this week. My DAD, almost DIED last-night. Yeah, I said almost, he's still alive luckily for me…..Or should it be luckily for you, because if he had then you'd be dead-meat right-now. But he's not DEAD is he? He's lying in a hospital bed, probably asking my Step-Mum where I've got to because he'll be expecting a visit from me and Carla today. Yeah that's right, MY Carla! So Leave. Me. Alone! Before I do something that I'll regret!" Peter told Paul threateningly before shoving him away from him.

Carla then immediately ran-over to Peter to stop-him from punching Paul, which she knew fully-well that he was about to do if she didn't stop-him. She placed her hand gently against his arm and softly forced him backwards. "Come-On Baby. Let's go ey? I shouldn't have let you come-in today anyway." Carla said calmly as Peter eventually began to walk-away with her.

"I'll cya later 'Chelle, Liam….." Carla said as she led Peter away, oblivious to the fact that they were being followed…..

They had soon returned back to Number One, Coronation Street, and Peter was sat on the sofa with Carla, who held him closely as he leaned-over and put his head into his hands. There had been utter silence between the pair since they had arrived back. Carla didn't feel she could say anything right now that would make Peter feel any better about what had happened to his Dad, but that wasn't her main-concern. The main problem was that she didn't know what to say. If she tried to cheer him up, he might see it as inconsiderate, but the only other thing left to talk about was their current-situation, and Carla was afraid that talking about that might just upset Peter further.

After much consideration, Carla finally blurted-out the first thing her brain could think of. Perhaps her instincts could lead this conversation for a change.

"Baby. Do you want to and visit your Dad?" Carla asked, not bad considering she hadn't prepared that question.

"No." Peter quickly responded. "Not Yet. My Dad can't see me like this" He revealed to Carla truthfully.

"And what about Deirdre and Tracy ey? They'll be worrying about you Peter. All three of them." She continued to softly try and persuade him into visiting his Dad in hospital.

"I know they will…..But I can't go back there yet…..I don't want to see my Dad like that ever-again…..I had to see my Mum like it…..And I had to see my Sister like it…..And now they're both dead." Peter told Carla as a couple of tears dropped from his eyes.

"I know they are sweetheart, and it must be tough for you, but your Dad?! He's gonna be just fine Baby…..Okay?" Carla tried to re-assure Peter, but with little-luck before the door-bell rang.

"Do you want me to get-it?" She asked-him sweetly.

"No….." Peter paused for a couple of seconds before altering his answer. "Yes…..Yeah. Go On Then." Peter told Carla tearfully.

Carla went-over to answer the front-door to find her worst-nightmare stood right-there infront of her.

"Dad?" Carla questioned in shock. It was like she didn't really believe that it was her Father that was stood there right-now.

"Where's that bloke of yours?" He asked Carla viciously.


	17. Hurting

"Look Dad, you've already hurt Peter's Dad, don't hurt Peter aswell. He's a good guy, I promise ya." Carla tried to re-assure her Father, but with little-hope. Before Carla could do anything about it, her Father had stormed-on through to the living-room, grabbing Peter his t-shirt and pinning him up against the corridor wall.

"DAD. LET HIM GO!" Carla shouted at her Father.

"No. I wanna know, first, what he thinks gives him the right to go out with my Daughter!" He said viciously. "And then come back to MY house without MY say so!"

"I'm sorry!" Peter apologised, absolutely petrified as he knew fully-well what Carla's Dad was capable-of.

"Yeah you will be pal." He replied as he raised his fist, ready to punch Peter, but Carla grabbed the land-line phone and held-it-up. "Dad. Stop there right-now or I'll call the police." Carla threatened.

Carla's Father took a couple of deep-breaths-in before he then smirked at Carla. "Yeah right. You couldn't do that to your own Dad." He replied smugly before turning his attention back to Peter.

"Look Mate, you're in enough trouble as it is. Don't hurt me aswell." Peter said, trying desperately hard to keep-himself calm as the man's fist remained raised and ready to punch Peter directly in the face.

"You think I care about how much trouble I'm in? If you do then Carla obviously has been too scared to tell-you everything about me." He responded nastily.

"She's told-me enough to make me realise that you really are nothing but a thug!" Peter said through gritted-teeth, but that comment had earned Peter a punch in the nose and a knee in the stomach by Carla's Dad.

"PETER!" Carla screamed as Peter keeled-over onto the floor. Carla turned to her Dad. "GET OUT!" She yelled at her Dad, in floods of tears now.

Carla's Father smirked and laughed as he kicked a crumpled Peter in the stomach once-more, before he then walked-out of the house as Carla immediately crouched-down next to Peter as she called the police.

"Hello? Police-please…..My Dad has just attacked my boyfriend…..Come-quickly Please!" Carla told them tearfully before helping Peter to sit-up against the wall.

"Oh Baby are you okay?" She asked Peter. "Do you need to go to the hospital and get yourself checked-out?" Carla looked-Peter-over, he had blood pouring from his nose and could barely move without huge waves of main shooting through his stomach.

"No. Ow." He said as he winced in pain. "I'll be fine, and besides, I don't want to risk my Dad seeing me like this. We'll talk to the police; I'll clean myself up a bit, and then we'll go and visit my Dad." Peter told Carla as she helped-him to stand-up and then carefully walked-him into the living-room where she sat-him on the sofa, before fetching some tissue and tried to stop the bleeding from his nose.

* * *

The police had soon arrived, but they were followed-in by a worried Deirdre, who had popped-back, having just dropped-Tracy-off at school.

"Hello. What's your name?" The Officer asked Peter.

"I'm Peter Barlow." Peter told-him as he held his stomach in pain.

"Right, well hello Peter, I'm Sergeant Eddie Murkins, but you can call-me Eddie. Who are your friends?" The young Sergeant asked Peter.

"Urm, this is Carla. – My Girlfriend. And Deirdre. – My Step-Mum." Peter explained to the Officer.

"Peter what's happened?" A panicked Deirdre asked-him, but Peter just looked-down, not wanting to explain to Deirdre right-now.

"Okay Peter, before we go any further, you need to get those injuries looked-at so I'm gonna call an ambulance for you, okay?" Eddie explained to Peter.

"No. Don't do that. I'm fine; I just need to sit-still for a bit, that's all." Peter argued-back, reluctant to go to the hospital, because his Father was there.

"But Peter you could have a broken-nose, not to mention the damaged ribs!" Carla tried to persuade Peter that getting his injuries checked-out was probably for the best.

"Can someone just tell-me what the flaming 'eck ha happened here?!" Deirdre asked, getting slightly frustrated and worried about the fact that her step-son looked-in a complete and utter-state and no-one would tell-her what had happened to him.

"I assume that it was Carla who called the police as it was a female on the call…..She reported that her Dad had attacked her boyfriend…..Peter….." Eddie revealed to Deirdre.

"What? After what he did to Ken? Why an earth was he allowed around-here?" Deirdre asked, frustratedly.

"No previous attack on this family by him was reported to the police….." Eddie stated before he then sat-next to Peter as he tried to get some details from both him and Carla about her Dad's physical description and about the attack.

* * *

It wasn't long until Eddie was finished with talking to Peter, Carla and Deirdre. As Eddie stood-up, Carla went to go and help Peter to stand-up. He was still clutching his stomach as Eddie watched him stand-up.

"Are you sure you don't want an ambulance?" Eddie asked-Peter, concerned by the state that he was seeming to be in.

"Ugh. How many times I've said NO!" Peter replied frustratedly. That was typical Peter, as stubborn as ever.

"But Peter you could've broken your ribs." Carla told him, worried that the pain seemed to be getting worse rather than better as Peter's breathing grew heavier as his temper lessened and lessened.

"Peter?" Deirdre asked-him, noticing that Peter had suddenly gone very-pale.

Peter took a further three deep-breaths before throwing-up into the corridor.

"Right that's it. I'm calling an ambulance." Eddie told the three of them before requesting for an ambulance on his Police-Radio.

* * *

The Paramedics had soon arrived in the Ambulance and were checking-Peter-over. He was sat on the sofa next to Carla as the Paramedics crouched-down infront of them, strapping an Oxygen mask over Peter's face to help him to breathe easier.

"I really think you should go to hospital." One of the Paramedics told Peter as Deirdre's phone-rang.

"I'll take-it into the corridor." She stated as she headed-out of the room, so it was just Peter, Carla, the two paramedics and Eddie left in the room.

Peter pulled the Oxygen Mask away from his face and rested-it against his chest as he spoke. "No I'll be fine." He said, a lot calmer than earlier, but slightly tearfully now.

Carla sighed as she rested her head against Peter's shoulder. "I don't think you're gonna get anywhere. Can you just make sure he's alright for now, and if he gets any-worse then I'll make-sure we get-him to hospital." Carla told the Paramedics sadly, worried about her boyfriend, her baby, the guy who she couldn't love much more if she tried.

"Alright." One of the Paramedics replied, unconvinced, but realising that Carla was being serious, despite her young-age.

"Okay….." The Paramedics gave-in as they began to clear the blood away from Peter's face and see to the cut on his head caused from the force of the punch.

"That needs stitches really mate….." The Paramedics told Peter as they cleaned-up the wound to his cheek.

"I'm NOT Going." Peter refused as Deirdre re-entered the room.

"That was yer Dad on the phone Peter, he's been dis-charged…..So if he was the reason why you didn't want to go to hospital…..Well…..You're gonna see him anyway now….." Deirdre told Peter as she rested her hand onto his shoulder. "He's insisted on getting a taxi home. He doesn't want to bother-me. He won't be long, but Peter, even If you do decide to go to hospital now, I can't lie to your Dad for you. He needs to know that you've been hurt….." Deirdre paused for second. "And who's hurt ya….." She trailed-off disapprovingly.

"Come-On Sweetheart, you might aswell go and make sure you haven't broken anything." Carla tried to convince-him, and Peter finally nodded and Carla and the Paramedics helped him to walk-outside as he was feeling a bit light-headed and the pain in his stomach made it difficult for him to walk. Deirdre followed them out.

"Carla, I'll let Ken know what's happened…..Peter's not 18 yet so he's gonna have to have his next of kin there…..And that's Ken…..So…..I don't think I can tell-him this over the phone so I'm gonna have to tell-him in person, and then he'll be straight-over okay?" Deirdre re-assured Carla that she would have someone who she knew, besides Peter, there with her at the hospital.

* * *

Once they reached the hospital, Peter was taken-away by the Nurses to be treated properly, so Carla decided to text Michelle.

_**Carla: **Hi 'Chelle. Peters bn hurt. My Dad's folt. At the hosp now. Dnt no wen we r gonna be back at college. XxX _

_**Michelle: **Oh my gosh Car. Is he OK? xxxxx_

_**Carla: **Not Rele. They fink he mite av broken ribs but cant be sure yet. Waitin 4 him 2 av an X-Ray. XxX_

_**Michelle: **Right. OK. Luv u lots bbe. Tell Peter I hope he gets better soon. xxxxx_

_**Carla: **Will Do. Luv u 2. XxX_

_**Michelle: **Oh and if u need sumwer to stay…..Well…..u no wer 2 come…..xxxxx_

_**Carla: **Thx 'Chelle. That means a lot. XxX_

* * *

Just as Carla finished her text conversation with Michelle, Ken arrived next to her in the Waiting-Area.

"Ken!" Carla called-out tearfully as she hugged her boyfriends Father. "I'm so sorry for what my Dad did to you…..And Peter…..I'm so sorry." Carla apologised as she burst into floods of tears.

"Carla it's okay. None of this was your fault." Ken re-assured her as they sat-down together and waited for Peter to re-appear with the Nurses & the Doctor that was treating-him.

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_


	18. The Result Of Bad

Peter soon re-appeared with a Nurse, who was helping him to walk-over to Ken and Carla.

"Right. You're free to go, you're gonna need to take it easy for a while and we'll expect you back here in a few-weeks to have your stitches taken-out. Okay?" The Nurse asked Peter.

"Yeah…..Thank-You." Peter said, trying his best to shoot a weak-smile at the Nurse as Carla gently brought-him into a hug.

"Baby, are you okay?" Carla asked-him in a loud-whisper, so Ken could hear what she had asked-him.

"I've got 3 broken-ribs and 5 Stitches in my face, and it flamin' well hurts." Peter said sadly.

"Well let's get you home then ey?" Ken suggested as Peter looked-up at his Dad and finally managed to smile. He was glad to see his Father back on his feet again.

"Dad! How are you?" Peter asked, slightly tearfully as his Dad brought Peter into his arms and tenderly hugged-his injured-son.

"I'm getting there son, looks like Me and You are gonna be resting-up together ey?" Ken joked and Peter tried to laugh but it pained-him to do so.

"Alright Baby, take-it easy will you?" Carla told-him sweetly as they walked-out of the hospital together.

* * *

The taxi-dropped them by the Rovers as the three of them walked-down the small bit of Street which led to Number One Coronation Street, where they lived. Carla had pretty-much been living-there recently anyway.

As they got inside, Tracy, who was now home from school ran-up to Peter and hugged her older-step-brother. "Peter!" She called as she ran towards-him. Peter prepared himself for the pain as Tracy landed-on-him with her flying-hug.

"OW! Hiya Trace." Peter replied to his Younger Step-Sister as the pain settled-down.

Deidre chuckled. "Tracy you've got to be gentle with Peter." She told-her softly.

"Sorry." Tracy said to both Deirdre and Peter before she then wandered upstairs to her room. Peter and Carla were quick to follow as Carla helped Peter up the stairs making-sure that she wasn't causing him to much pain to his three-broken-ribs.

* * *

Michelle was sat on the swings at the park with her two-brothers, who were messing-around with a football, when she received a text from Carla.

_**Carla: **3 Broken Ribs n 5 Stitches. My poor baby. :-( XxX_

"OH MY GOSH!" Michelle said to herself, not realising how loud she was speaking, and that she had attracted the attention of Paul and Liam as she read the text from Carla.

"What's-Up 'Chelle?" Liam asked-her.

"You're not pregnant are ya?" Paul joked.

"Shut-Up Paul! No I'm flamin' well not. It's Carla….." Michelle trailed-off.

"Ya what? What's happened to Carla?" Paul asked in a panic.

"Well, no not Carla…..It's Peter actually….." Michelle revealed.

"Oh…..What does that muppet want?" Paul questioned, slightly angry that Michelle seemed to like Peter when he didn't.

"PAUL!" Michelle warned. "He doesn't _**want **_anything." She continued in a slightly calmer-manner. "He's just come-out of hospital with 3 broken-ribs and 5 stitches…..And it's because of Carla's Dad….."

"Aww nice one mate!" Paul tried to joke, but Michelle slapped-him across the cheek at his foul sense of humour. "What the heck did you just do that for?" He asked angrily.

"You can't say you didn't deserve that one pal." Liam added-on.

"Paul. You need to apologise to both Peter and Carla. They've obviously got enough on their plates at the moment without having to worry-about what stunt you're gonna pull-next. They need their friends with them, and that's exactly what you are gonna be to Peter…..A Friend." Michelle told Paul bluntly and Paul began to realise the seriousness of the whole-situation. He looked-down sadly, ashamed that he had practically-bullied Peter since the very-first-day he arrived at college.

"She's right mate." Liam told his brother.

"I know she is. Look Sis, I'm sorry for laughing when you told-us about Peter…..I can't promise a friendship with-him…..But I'll certainly try and start to mend-things with him." Paul told both Michelle and Liam seriously.

* * *

Back on Coronation Street, Peter lay in bed, with Carla cuddled-up next to him, gently rubbing her hand over-his bare-chest in a comforting manner, as she tried to ease the pain rather than cause anymore of it.

"Listen Baby. It's your 18th soon isn't it?" Carla began the conversation which she had been planning in her head for quite a while-now.

"Yeah….." Peter trailed-off quietly.

"Well I was thinking, we finish college soon, and what with you being 18 soon-enough…..I was just thinking about us two buying a flat together….." Carla told-her nervously.

Peter chucked lightly trying not to add anymore pain to his broken-ribs than he was already-in. "You what?" Peter asked, finding Carla's suggestion quite amusing.

"Well, things aren't great for me at home. You know that Peter…..And I can't keep-on switching between yours and 'Chelle's for the rest of my life can I? That's unfair on both yours and 'Chelle's families. So ya know…..Will you think about-it?" Carla asked-him.

Peter suddenly realised that Carla wasn't messing-around as the amused-smile gradually-faded-away from his face. He carefully sat-up, holding onto his ribs as he did-so, before carefully leaning-over Carla to reach his bedside table, which had a framed-picture of his Mother sat on it. He picked-up the framed-picture before settling back-down into his bed again and looked at the picture infront of him.

"Peter?" Carla questioned as a response to his silent movements. She then sighed as she realised the problem. "Darlin' I'll understand if it's too soon for you…..I mean, this place holds happy memories of your Mum doesn't it?" Carla asked-Peter.

"Well yeah it does…..But it's not that…..Carla, I'd love for us to move-into our own-place together…..But I just feel like I'd be leaving her behind…..I don't want my Dad to think that I've forgotten-her….." Peter trailed-off sadly, refusing to let any tears fall from his face as he thought about his Mother.

Carla sighed-once again at Peter's words. She felt sorry for him. "Oh Baby, your Dad knows that you miss your Mum everyday…..And ya know what? We can come-back here whenever you want-to sweetheart. Right at this minute, I couldn't careless if I ever see my parents again or not. I don't want to see them and I don't want them to see-me." Carla paused for a second. "But that doesn't mean that it has to be the same for you my darlin'. It really doesn't." Carla tried to re-assure a tearful Peter.

After a long and very-silent pause, Peter finally responded. "Give-me some-time to think about-it Car….." He replied-quietly.

"Okay Baby." Carla whispered to Peter in reply as she leaned-in towards his lips and placed a gentle-kiss upon them. "Take as-long as you want. I want to know that this will-be the right-thing for you too." She told-him sweetly before kissing-him on the lips once-again, this-time, a little-more passionately than before, but at the same-time being careful not o hurt Peter as she did-so.

* * *

_**At Carla's House.**_

"I'm arresting you for GBH; you do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence, something which you later rely on in court. Do you understand? Officer Eddie Murkins told Carla's Father as his Colleague arrested her Mother as she had been found in possession of numerous illegal-drugs.

They were both taken to the Police-Station for questioning before Eddie then went to visit Carla and Peter to tell-them the partly-good. But also partly-bad-news...

* * *

_**Please-Review.**_


	19. Social Services

**_I don't know much about how Social Services works so I apologise if some things about the way they deal with certain situations are incorrect in this chapter._**

* * *

That evening, Officer Eddie Murkins made his way-over to Coronation Street to inform Carla that both of her parents had been arrested. Eddie had gone-up to Peter's room, rather than trying to make Peter climb out of bed. Carla had broken-down into floods of tears. As much as she hated her parents, Peter understood that there would always be a part of Carla that loved her parents. Peter knew that and tried to comfort her as she cried.

"I'm sorry Carla, but it really was for the best…..Listen. As you're only 16…..I'm gonna have to get Social-Services involved….." Eddie told Carla sadly, he felt really-sorry for this poor-girl.

"But, I'm gonna be 17 in a couple of months time, and Peter's 18 in a matter of days!" Carla told Eddie, still crying her heart-out. "And I am NOT going into Foster-Care, there's no-way!"

"I'm really sorry Carla, but you don't have much choice…..And believe-me Social Services won't be recommending that you move in with Peter's family….." Eddie trailed-off. "And we can't leave you homeless can we now?" He tried to explain to Carla and help her to understand that it really was the best-option.

"But, I won't know where I'm going-to be sent-to! And I can't leave Peter…..No I can't!" Carla cried to Eddie as an injured Peter tried to comfort her as he put his arm around her and pulled-her closer-into his chest, whilst at the same-time trying not to cause himself any pain.

"Eddie, like Carla said, I'm gonna be 18 pretty-soon, and me and Carla were just chatting about getting a flat of our own…..I could look after Carla…..Then there'd be no-point in having a Foster-Carer for her, because, she'd just stay with me all the time anyway….." Peter tried to reason with the Officer.

"Alright, I'll try and smooth it over with Social-Services, but you two are gonna have a fight on your hands…..You're gonna have to prove that you can cope on your own….." Eddie told the pair of them truthfully.

"We'll prove-it, we'll prove them wrong!" Carla pleaded desperately.

* * *

The next-morning was the Weekend, and Ken and Deirdre had allowed Michelle, Paul and Liam to visit Carla and Peter.

The young-couple were sat on the sofa together when the three-siblings arrived. "Hiya Car, hey Peter." Michelle greeted them both with a hug.

"What's he doing here?" Peter asked, referring to Paul.

"Yeah what **_IS_** he doing here? Peter doesn't need stress at the moment, he's been told to rest." Carla told Michelle, Paul and Liam quite firmly.

"I've come to apologise pal." Paul said as calmly as possible.

"Ya what?" Peter replied, in shock that Paul was actually being nice to him for what seemed like the first time ever.

"I said I've come to apologise. Ya know how I feel about Carla, and yeah, I'm always gonna be jealous of you for getting a-hold of her before I got the chance to, but I have to admit it mate, you make her happy. And that's all that, matters, so…..Friends?" Paul offered to Peter by holding his hand out for him to shake in agreement.

"Ohhh I dunno about being friends, pal…..But an apology is a start I guess so I'll shake on a second chance basis…..Alright Mate?" Peter suggested to Paul, who smiled at Peter and then nodded-in response.

"Finally! So are we all getting along around here now then?" Liam asked sweetly.

"Yeah I suppose so Lee….." Michelle replied to her younger-brother happily.

"Yeah. Listen thanks Paul. Mate…..That's one less thing me and Car have to worry about now….." Peter trailed-off, slightly sadly, but trying his best to remain thankful to Paul all the same.

"What do you mean?" Michelle asked, concerned for Carla and Peter.

Carla sighed sadly as she felt the tears build-up at the back of her eyes. She swallowed hard to try and get-them to disappear but it just made-them worse as Carla attempted to explain to Michelle about their situation now.

"Well, with both of my parents in prison…..Eddie, the police-officer dealing with the case came-over earlier…..He said that I might have to move-into to Foster-Care…..Even though Me and Peter are thinking about getting our own flat….Apparently we're gonna have a fight on our hands….." Carla revealed, fighting hard not to let the tears gathering-up in the backs of her eyes get the better of her.

"Oh Car babe, I'm sure everything will work itself out in the end….." Michelle tried to re-assure both Carla and Peter, even-though she was talking to Carla inparticular, but she was having little success in convincing them that everything was going-to be alright in the end.

"Yeah we'll be okay, we'll manage baby." Peter said, also trying to sound confident, but he was just as worried as Carla was about her having to move-away to live with Foster-Parents.

A tear fell-down onto Carla's cheek as she looked-at Peter. "Come-On Peter, you don't even believe that yourself so why are you trying to convince me eh?" She said tearfully.

"Of-Course I believe that sweetheart! We're gonna be fine and I know it." Peter once-again tried to re-assure Carla but with little luck.

"Carla come-here." Michelle said as she squeezed herself into the bit of sofa left next to her and hugged her best-friend. "We won't let you move-away I promise, even if you have to go into foster-care, surely they can't move you somewhere where you don't want to go. And the fact that you already have a stable relationship and that you're gonna be 18 next year…..They don't stand a chance of moving you away from us….." Michelle tried to convince Carla, and she was having a bit more luck than Peter was, but Carla was still worried about her future in Weatherfield. She leaned-over to Peter and hugged-him tightly round his waist, resting her head against the side of his upper-arm as she finally began to properly-cry.

"I Love You Peter." Carla cried in a whisper. "And no matter what happens, that's not gonna change, not ever." She finished as Paul tried his best not to show his inner-jealousy as the two looked so in-love with each-other.

"I love you too Carla, and listen, even-if you do have to move into foster-care, you'll never loose-me, I'll travel the world if I have too….." Peter trailed-off sweetly as Carla smiled at him. Paul had to hold his tongue to stop himself from tutting at the cheesiness of the whole situation.

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Carla asked Peter innocently.

"Car, baby, once I'm 18, I can do what I want! And wherever you're living, I'm gonna be there." Peter told Carla sweetly, before they then kissed each-other on the lips.

**_Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, just couldn't get anywhere with it, no matter how hard I tried. I promise to make the next chapter better though!_**

**_Please-Review!_**


	20. The Birthday Boy

_**Reminder for this chapter that Peter is only just 18 so has not yet developed a drink-problem, so is therefore allowed to have a drink in the Rovers!**_

A week-on and the day of Peter's 18th Birthday had arrived. Eddie had been in regular contact with updates regarding Social Services. They had been trying to persuade Carla to organise to spend a weekend with a pair of possible Foster Parents for her. But Carla had promised herself and Peter that she would forget about that for today and give Peter the best day possible. And my goodness did he deserve it. Carla recognised that Peter had been there for her every-step-of the way so far, and that he must have had his own troubles and worries going-on, but he had forgotten about them for the sake-of her, and Carla just loved-him all the more for that.

Carla was first-up out of the pair of them and had crept downstairs to talk to Ken and Deirdre about organising a surprise party for Peter.

"Ken…..Is it alright if I call ya Ken?" Carla asked innocently but confidently, she was getting to know Peter's family quite well now, and she just loved-them to pieces, despite all of their troubles, they were a close and generally happy family, and Carla felt privileged to be welcomed into their home so warmly as Peter's girlfriend.

"Of-Course it is Carla, what do you want?" Ken questioned kindly, with a warming smile on his face.

"Well I was just wondering what your plans were for Peter's birthday today….." She trailed-off.

"Well, he's 18, so I was going to take-him for his first drink in the Rovers…..But apart from that, I was going to see what Peter wanted to do…..Why? Did you have any plans?" He asked her.

"Urm, no, but I was just wondering if we could organise some sort of party for him?" Carla suggested to Ken just as a half-asleep Tracy walked-in in her Pyjama's.

"Party for who?" She asked, mid-yawn.

"Peter!" Ken told-her, realising that she had only just woken-up and probably wasn't quite with it yet.

"Oh Yeah it's his birthday isn't it?" Tracy trailed-off.

"Too right it is Trace….." Peter said happily as he appeared into the living-room, walking-up behind Carla and wrapping his arms around her waist so his hands joined-together at her stomach.

"Morning." He whispered into Carla's ear before he then kissed her on the cheek.

"Good Morning Birthday Boy." Carla said to Peter softly, turning-around in his arms, so she could face him as she sweetly smiled at him, and then placed a gentle kiss upon his lips. "We were just talking about you." She giggled at him.

"Oh were you now?!" Peter cheekily questioned. "What were you saying?" He asked.

"Nothing….." Carla trailed-off mischievously as she skipped-off to get Peter's present, before returning to Peter with-it and handing-it to him. "Happy Birthday Baby." She said happily as he began to open-it.

"Thank-You Sweetheart." He said as he leaned-in towards Carla and gave her a peck on the lips before he then opened his presents. His present was an A3 sized photo-frame, and in the frame was a newly printed version of an old picture of Peter and his Mother.

A tearful Peter looked-up at Carla and smiled. "Thank-You so much." Peter thanked-her as he looked at the picture.

"It was no trouble baby. I saw that you had a picture of your Mum on your bedside table, but you haven't got one on your bedroom wall, so this one can go-up there, and whenever you miss her, you can look at this photo of you and her, and remember the happy times with her." Carla told him sweetly, and Ken, Deirdre, and Tracy looked-over and smiled, especially Ken, who was glad that Carla had thought of such a lovely-present.

"I Love You So Much. Thank-You." Peter said as a tear dropped from his eyes.

"Hey it's okay, I didn't mean to make you cry though….." Carla said, as she used the pad of her thumb to wipe his tears-away.

"No it's okay. Don't worry about-it." Peter replied before leaning-in and passionately kissing Carla on the lips.

Officer Eddie popped-around after lunch, and Peter & Carla answered the door to him. "Not today Eddie." Carla greeted-him with as Peter placed his arm around her waist as if to hold her back ever-so-slightly.

Eddie sighed sympathetically towards both Peter & Carla. "You're gonna have to face-up to this sooner or later Carla….." He told her truthfully.

"I know I do, but today is Peter's birthday, and I will NOT let the likes of you and Social Services ruin it for him. He deserves a good-day, now just leave-us be will ya?!" Carla practically told Eddie in an angry manner before attempting to shut the door on him, but Eddie put his foot in the way to stop the door from shutting completely.

"Carla, I don't want to wreck Peter's birthday celebrations anymore than you do, but the longer that you drag this out, the harder it's going to be…..For the both of you." Eddie tried to persuade her, but Carla wasn't having any of it.

"NO!" Carla shouted before slamming the door shut on Eddie, and this time, she succeeded before she then ran upstairs, closely followed by a concerned Peter.

"Baby are you okay?" Peter asked Carla as he entered his bedroom to find her curled-up on his bed in floods of tears. He walked-over to her and sat next to Carla as he put his arms around her shaking-frame. Carla refused to look at Peter as she spoke.

"I promised you that today would be a good day, and that I wouldn't let anything ruin your birthday…..Looks like I was wrong, I'm so sorry Baby." Carla cried as she brought her knees to her chest and buried her head in them as she cried even-more.

"Carla….." Peter sighed sadly. "Carla look at me." He whispered to her. "Baby, come-on." He gently encouraged-her. After a couple of seconds in pure silence, Carla finally looked at Peter to see him softly smiling that sweet smile of his at her.

"You haven't ruined my day in the slightest." Peter told her. "All you've done is made me realise just how much you care about-me Carla. And it's good to know that you do, because I care just as much about you. And you know that I can't bear to see you upset like this Carla….." Peter trailed-off as his Father waltzed into the room, in a jolly-old-mood this morning, what with-it being Peter's birthday and everything.

"Is everything alright up here? Come-On Peter, it's your birthday, don't spent all day in your room….." Ken paused as he noticed that Carla was crying. "Oh Peter what's happened now?" He asked, concerned for Carla, but also concerned that she was wrecking Peter's 18th Birthday by being-here.

Carla sniffled-in the remaining tears as she climbed-off-of the bed and smiled at Ken. "Nothing. Nothing's happened, and me and Peter were just coming-downstairs before you came-in…..Weren't we Baby?" Carla hinted to Peter to leave-it for now as he too climbed-off-of the bed and joined Carla, taking her hand into his own and giving-it a comforting and re-assuring squeeze as Ken looked at them both once.

"Okay if you say-so." Ken replied, willing to go-along with them just for now.

Later that afternoon, Michelle popped-round to give Peter his present. "Happy Birthday Peter!" She greeted-Peter with as she walked-into the living-room and then hugged-him. "Thanks 'Chelle!" Peter replied as Michelle handed-him-over the present. "This is from Me, Paul, and Liam. Sorry we'd usually get ya one each, but we're all a bit broke at the moment to be honest….." Michelle trailed-off as Peter opened the present.

"Oh it's alright Michelle. Don't worry about-it." Peter said as he opened-it to discover it was a bottle of wine.

"Awww Cheers 'Chelle! We can down this before we go down to the Rovers this evening!" Peter joked.

"Hang-On a sec." Carla laughed. "Neither You, Paul, or Liam are 18 yet, so how the 'eck did you buy this?" She joked, partly putting on a front for Peter's sake, but also being genuinely happy that Peter seemed to be having a good-time so-far.

"Ah no-one ID's ya in our local-shop…..And Paul look's quite old for a 17 year-old anyway….." Michelle joked and Peter & Carla both laughed.

"Well thank-you anyway Michelle!" Ken said, even-if he did disapprove of her means of getting the bottle in the first-place, at-least she had never planned to drink-it.

"Oh it's not a problem Mr Barlow." Michelle replied kindly. "Anyway, I best be getting-off. Cya soon guys, and have a fab birthday Peter!" She said her goodbyes before offering to see herself-out.

"Right then my son." Ken began as he put his arm around Peter's shoulders. "As much as I want you to have a good-time in the Rovers tonight, I do NOT want you ending-up in hospital to have your stomach pumped, so you just take-it easy okay?" Ken warned-him in a light-hearted, but also in a way that was 'typically Ken' as Deirdre called-it.

"Oh Ken. Just leave-them be will ya, if he wants to get himself off his face drunk then let-him!" Deirdre said as she chuckled at her husband's nagging. "Peter, you're 18, and you're sensible enough to know what damage alcohol can do, so yeah, what I think your Dad is trying to say is, be careful, but have a great-time. I'll try and drag him away about 9ish so you can have the rest of the night to yourselves." Deirdre Joked as both Peter & Carla laughed at her.

It was time to go and celebrate in the Rovers, and having already finished a complete bottle of wine, thanks to Michelle, Peter was ever-so slightly tipsy now, but had just ordered his first pint of beer. Carla wasn't 18 yet, so was in-charge of Peter all-night. But that didn't mean that she couldn't have a bit of fun herself.

"Go On Peter down-it!" Carla joked with him.

"No Way! I'll be sick!" Peter responded, giggling quietly as he took his first sip. "Oooh I knew that would taste good!" He said happily.

"So down-it then!" Carla encouraged-him.

"Yeah go-on Peter!" Deirdre joined-in with the fun and Tracy was laughing at her Mother being so irresponsible.

"Peterrrrr….." Ken warned with the 'softly, softly' approach that he had to have with Peter these-days.

"Sorry Dad. They've persuaded-me!" Peter said before drinking the beer down until it was all-gone.

Both Carla, Tracy and Deirdre were giggling as Peter choked the last-few mouthfuls but eventually swallowed-it down as Eddie came-into the bar.

"Evenin' Officer!" A slightly drunk Peter said as he literally bowed-down to Eddie which both Deirdre and Tracy laughed-at, but the smile has gone from Carla's face very-quickly now that Eddie was here.

"You're drunk." Eddie said with a light-chuckle, before he then walked-past Peter and made his way-over to Carla.

"Officer?! Which part of 'NOT. TODAY.' Did you not understand?!" Carla said to Eddie in a frustrated raised-voice as the whole pub turned silent to see what an earth was going-on here.

_**Please-Review! **_


	21. Decisions

"I'm sorry Carla, but we've found some potential foster parents for you…..And they've asked if they can spend the weekend with ya?" Officer Eddie Murkins asked Carla, who sighed in pure frustration.

"Right, well, where do they live?" Carla asked Eddie.

Eddie took a deep-breath-in, knowing the reaction he was going-to get when he revealed this piece of news. "Cornwall." He finally came-out with.

"I'm sorry, Cornwall? CORNWALL?" A young but angry Carla shouted at Eddie, catching the attention of the rest of the pub. "There is no way I'm moving to Cornwall! I'm a Manchester girl!" She continued to rant-on about not moving-away. She didn't want to leave Peter. Because leaving Peter, potentially meant loosing Peter. – Something which Carla just couldn't handle with right at this minute.

"Carla no-one said anything about moving to Cornwall, they just want to spend the weekend with ya, and who knows you might decide that you quite like it down there with them….." Eddie tried to re-assure her that she wasn't going-to be moving down there unless she was happy to…..

"Not as much as I'd like it if you'd just get-lost and let-me celebrate my boyfriend's 18th Birthday with the people who are actually invited to this gathering!" Carla responded harshly.

"Fine, I'll leave you for tonight….." Eddie paused as Peter staggered-over to Carla drunkenly, his hands all-over her as it was obvious that his first time out drinking was starting to affect his balance quite badly. "But I'll be back to sort things-out tomorrow. Okay?" Eddie questioned, and Carla nodded in response.

"Who was that Baby?" A drunken Peter asked.

Carla put-on a fake-smile for Peter, taking hold of his cheeks with her hands and wobbling them around slightly as she spoke. "No-one sweetheart." She replied to Peter as if she was talking to a baby. She refused to ruin his 18th Birthday Party.

* * *

Peter awoke the next-morning feeling very sick and with a stinking headache. Carla laughed as Peter tried to sit-up then groaned as the pain hit him and he slumped back-down, crashing his head back against the pillow again, and then pulling the covers over-his face to try and block the light-out.

"Oh dear, you are so _**not**_ a pretty sight this morning." Carla Joked as she got out of bed and went to retrieve her phone from Peter's desk. "Remind-me of how you're feeling right-now when it's my 18th won't ya darlin'?" She asked-him.

Peter could barely manage to speak so all that came-out was an "Ugh" in response to Carla's teasing. Carla turned her phone-on to see that she had a text from Michelle.

_**Michelle: **__How was lst night n how is Peter this morn? xxxxx_

Carla giggled at Michelle's text and how she was going to reply to it. Putting her phone onto the camera-mode, Carla gently removed the duvet-covers away from a hungover Peter, causing him to groan loudly as the light stung his eyes.

"Peter, look at me baby." Carla whispered to him as she prepared herself to take the photo.

"What?" Peter grumbled as he looked at Carla just long enough so that she had the chance to take a photo.

Carla attached the picture to her message to Michelle and then replied to her…..

_**Carla: **__Be glad yr not 'ere Babe. He's a rite grumpy guts this mornin. Check out the piccy. XxX_

_**Michelle: **__LOL. Gr8 Pic Babe. xxxxx _

Reading Michelle's reply, Carla then placed her phone onto Peter's bedside table, and then smirked mischievously as she then ran towards the bed, and then dived on-top of Peter; who had since covered himself back-up with the duvet-cover. "ERGH. Carla what'd you do that for?!" He moaned, feeling sick enough as it was already, without having his own-girlfriend jump on the bed and landing directly onto his bare-chest.

Pulling the cover away just enough to reveal Peter's face, Carla lay on-top of Peter and cheekily smiled at him. "Time to wake-up baby." She whispered to him, placing a gentle kiss onto his lips.

Peter yawned before pushing Carla off-of him and then slowly sitting himself-up, holding his head as he did-so as it was killing-him this-morning. "Listen Babe, come-here." Peter began as Carla went and cuddled-up to him.

"What is it?" Carla asked-him.

"Did Eddie make an appearance last-night?" Peter questioned.

Carla sighed in frustration. But not at Peter, at the fact that Eddie had turned-up uninvited despite Carla telling-him to leave-it. "Yes. Yeah he did. But I told-him to get-lost, and he said that he'd be back today….." Carla trailed-off. "Anyway how's your head feeling this morning?!"

"My head feels like it was used as a football last-night, anyway, what did Eddie want?" Peter interrogated, pushing Carla for answers as he vaguely remembered seeing Eddie and Carla chatting in the Rovers last-night.

"He wanted me to arrange going down to Cornwall to spend the weekend with some potential Foster Parents….." Carla trailed-off sadly.

"Cornwall?!" Peter panicked but soon regretted-it as his thumping-head gave-him a reason to shut-up for a bit.

"Yeah that's what I said….." Carla replied, but she then paused as she observed Peter's scrunched-up face; his head hurting, his stomach feeling very wobbly, and his eyes not yet used to the beaming-light above-them. "Gosh you really over-did-it last-night didn't you baby?" She Joked with Peter.

"Ergh, don't even go there love….." He replied as he shut his eyes in hope that he might find some relief from the pain of this post-birthday hang-over as he did-so.

* * *

Later that day, Eddie re-appeared, as promised, but this time he had two people in tow. – A man and a lady. – The potential foster-parents of-course. Carla soon figured that she was going-to have to spend at-least a couple of hours with these two whether she liked-it or not. It took everything in Carla not to shut the door in Eddie's face again, but Peter just about managed to stop her from doing-so in time.

"What do you want Eddie?" Carla whined as Peter hugged her from behind, his head peering over her shoulder as Eddie explained the situation to Carla.

"Carla, Peter, meet Eric and Linda. These two are potentially going to be your future foster parents, and they have travelled through the night from Cornwall to come and see you with me today, so it'd be nice if you at-least gave them the time of day Carla." Eddie told-her, a little-more firmly than usual, which Carla wasn't all that amused at.

"Fine. Doesn't look like I have a choice now does it?! But they need to realise that I come with Peter…..So Eric. Linda. – If you want to get to know me, then meet-my boyfriend…..Peter…..He's 18…..Old-enough to look after the likes of me….." Carla trailed-off for a second as Peter smiled at the both of them, still recovering from his birthday hang-over and not quite with it enough to think to shake hands with them both like he usually would have done.

"I'm sorry guys but you've wasted ya time if you think I'm gonna come running to ya with open arms…..Because I'm not…..Okay I'll quite happily spend the afternoon with ya…..As-Long as Peter's there…..But there's no-way that you're gonna be my foster-parents. No-Way. Because I don't need foster parents…..I have Peter." Carla explained to them bluntly, raising her arm up and finding Peter's cheek with her hand as she rested-it there.

"Carla, come-on just give-them a chance will you?" Eddie tried to reason with her.

"I wouldn't give them a chance if they offered-me 3 Million quid…..Officer….." Carla said selfishly, but Peter stopped her from going any further.

"Hey Baby, come-on, they've travelled a long-way remember? Why don't we take them for lunch ey? No decisions have to be made, but at the very-least they've had a day out in Manchester…..Right Eric and Linda?" Peter suggested and they nodded in return, both with wide-and understanding smiles plastered across both of their faces.

Carla turned to face Peter and wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her hand over the back of his head, and gently pushing-him towards her face as she kissed-him on the lips. "I'll do anything for you Baby." She whispered to him before turning back-around to face, Eddie, Eric and Linda. "Alright guys, why don't we go out somewhere?" Carla suggested, putting-on a fake friendliness for them as she showed them the way.

"Eddie, make yourself scarce for an hour or two ey mate?" Peter told-him firmly.

"Fine, but have my number, and ring-me when you're finished alright?" Eddie told Peter in reply, and Peter nodded, before then running to catch-up with Carla and the other-two.

* * *

As it was a fairly sunny-day, they sat in an outdoor café together, Carla sat closely next to Peter, and Eric and Linda sat opposite them as they tried to create friendly conversation with both Carla and Peter.

"Carla, you have to realise that if you were to come and live with us, then you could see Peter as often as you liked…..I mean, within reason of-course, you could even go-up to Manchester every-weekend if you wanted-to, and Peter. – You could come-down here whenever you wanted-to, as-long as you let-us know in plenty of time so that we could do a food-shop….." Linda explained to Carla nicely, and Eric nodded with a smile in agreement, and Carla had to admit, she was a bit persuaded by that comment. But no, she had to stick to her guns on this one.

"And that's really kind-of you guys…..But I've lived in Manchester all me flippin' life…..They say home is where the heart is…..Well my heart is wherever Peter is…..And if Peter is here in Weatherfield…..Then so am I….." Carla broke the news gently to them, but they weren't done with their persuading.

"Peter what do you think? I really think this could be the best-thing for Carla to do…..Move-down to Cornwall with us that is….." Eric suggested to Peter.

"But Cornwall is such a long-way away. It's the other end of the country, but you make it sound like I'd just be popping-over to Liverpool for the day…..Ya know I'm 18…..I'm independent now, and if I decide that I want to move into my own flat. - Then I can do as I wish…..And if Carla wants to move-in with me, then I don't see why the likes of Eddie, or social services should stop-us from doing-that." Peter told Eric and Linda truthfully, and Carla smiled at him sweetly, glad that he was fully-backing-her-up on this-one.

"Social Services just want what is best for you Carla….." Linda trailed-off.

"Then why can't they see that what's best for me is to stay with the person I love the most….." Carla told-them as she gripped onto Peter's arm tearfully.

"It's okay baby. We'll be alright." Peter tried to re-assure as he placed the gentlest of kisses on-top of her head.

"Can ya call Eddie, and tell-him we're done?" Carla asked Peter, and Peter nodded before walking-off slightly to ring-him, as Carla turned to face Eric and Linda once-again.

"I'm sorry Eric and Linda, but I can't move-down to Cornwall with you, that was never going-to happen. I just want to live with Peter, and that is final. And I hope you understand that….." Carla told them in the politest way possible that she just didn't want to live with them.

Eric and Linda both smiled at Carla. "Okay…..Well Carla, we'd have loved to have had you come and live with-us, but we can see that you are happy here. And Peter seems like a good-person….." Linda trailed-off as Carla interrupted-him, whilst Peter made his way back-over to them and linked-arms with Carla.

"Oh trust-me. He is." Carla said with a sweet-smile.

"Alright then Carla, well as-long as you're absolutely, 100% sure, then we'd like to offer you our full-support okay?" Eric began and Linda then took-over.

"Yes, we can't make you live with us, and no-one else can make you live with them either. And we're convinced that you're happy here, with Peter, so there's no reason why we shouldn't tell Eddie that it wasn't meant to be." Linda explained to both Carla and Peter, who both now had massive-teethy-grins spread across both of their faces.

* * *

"Thank-You SOOO Much!" Carla said happily as Eddie approached.

"So, have any decisions been made? I know we said that there wouldn't be any decisions made, but Carla and Peter both seem far too happy for there not to have been a decision made.

"Carla's going-nowhere Eddie." Peter said happily as he cuddled-his girlfriend tightly.

"Right….." Eddie trailed-off a little-awkwardly.

"Officer, you can't make her live somewhere-else, when she is quite obviously perfectly happy here….." Eric told Eddie.

"Yes, we don't see why you shouldn't let Carla live with Peter….." Linda trailed-off.

"Did you hear that Baby? We can get our own place-together!" Carla said excitedly, and Peter whipped her up into his arms and spun her around a couple of times in pure-excitement before he then put her back down to the ground and kissed her passionately, before Eddie, Eric, and Linda, then said their goodbyes, leaving Carla and Peter to head-home together-alone.

* * *

_**There is more to come! – Peter & Carla moving-in together!**_

_**Please-Review!**_


	22. Mothers, Sisters, & Lovers

The next morning, Peter and Carla prepared themselves to tell Ken and Deirdre about their plans to move-out and into a new-place together, by themselves. Peter was more nervous than Carla was. He couldn't stop thinking about his Mother. But Carla tried to re-assure Peter that his Mother would have been so proud of him if she could see him now.

Peter and Carla both made their ways downstairs together and walked-into the living-room, cuddling-up on the sofa together. "Dad, Deirdre, Tracy, can we talk to you please?" Peter asked as Carla snuggled her head into his neck.

"Yes of-course you can son." Ken said as the family wandered-in and sat-down together.

"Listen…..This might come as a bit of a shock to you…..Or it might not…..But….."

"Is Carla pregnant?!" Tracy interrupted excitedly as both Ken & Deirdre gasped loudly at the very-thought of it.

"No I am not!" Carla stated confidently, suddenly sitting-up straight as she registered just what it was that Tracy had said.

"Nooo, she's not." Peter confirmed as Ken breathed a sigh of relief, not realising that he had been holding his breath since the mention of having a possible teenage pregnancy on his hands came into the conversation.

"Then what is it Peter?" Deirdre asked, practically speaking for Ken as he awaited their news.

"Well, Me and Carla have been thinking about, like, getting a place of our own…..Ya know? And we just wanted to make-sure that you were alright with that really…..I guess….." Peter said nervously, throwing in extra words because he was unsure how his Father was going to react to this news.

"But Peter, you've barely been 18 for 5 Minutes?" Ken questioned.

"I know Dad…..But we really think that we're both ready to move-out now. I mean…..We can't stay here forever can we?" Peter told his Dad truthfully. Ken sighed at the thought of his son moving-out. He loved having his son around, even when they argued; knowing that he was just across the corridor in his bedroom was comforting for Ken to know. – Especially since Peter's Mum had died.

Peter's Mother…..That was when Ken remembered. He stood-up and went and fetch an enveloped letter addressed to Peter & Susan, which Ken knew was from their Mother. "Listen Peter, I can't say I agree with you two moving-in together, but you're 18 now, and I have to let you do what you feel is the right thing to do. But there is one-thing you need to see." Ken told-Peter, handing the letter him before he then explained.

"When you're Mother found-out that she didn't have long-left, she wrote this letter to you…..Well, to you and Susan really…..She told-me to only let you open-it when you felt that it was time to move-on from this house…..Susan never got the chance to read-it before she died…..But you're still here, and your Mother would want you to read-it. So have a read. – I have no-idea what it says…..But it's upto you whether you wish to share it with me or not.

Peter unsealed the envelope and then pulled-out the letter and unfolded-it, the letter-read:

_Dear Peter & Susan, _

_I bet you're both grown-up by now. I'm sorry I left you early. This silly illness doesn't make-way for children growing-up, so I'm sorry that I've missed-out on that. Now that you feel ready to move-on from Number One Coronation Street, I don't want you to hold-back because of me. You both need to see the big wide world that is just out there waiting for you. _

_But, wherever you end-up in the world…..Always remember your Dad…..He'll miss you dearly. And always remember me…..But don't be sad, be happy that you have or will have had a Mother that couldn't love both of you anymore if she tried. _

_Take care of each-other won't you? And tell your boyfriends and girlfriends about me. I wish I could have met-them, but you both have your Father's good-looks, I'm sure it won't be hard for you to find someone that you love._

_Be safe and remember that I love you more than anything in the whole wide world. _

_Lots of Love, Mum. Xxxxx_

Peter looked-up at his Dad with tears trapped-in the back of his eyes as Carla cuddled-him. She hadn't read the letter yet, but she could tell that Peter was trying not to cry at the moment.

"I'll never forget her Dad. You know that don't you?" Peter told his Father tearfully. "And you know that…..Even though I'm moving-out with Carla…..That doesn't mean that you'll never see me again…..We don't plan on going very far. You'll still see me regularly. Mum would kill-me if I lost touch with you." Peter said as he handed the letter over to Ken, who then passed-it on to Carla after he had read-it, so that she could see-what it said for herself.

"Oh Baby, that's beautiful." Carla said, having just read the letter, becoming slightly tearful herself, realising just how much Peter had been through in his life already. He had lost both his Mother and his Twin-Sister. How had he managed to be so happy and strong every day when he had all of that behind-him?

"Yes I agree with Carla…..That letter came from your Mother's heart Peter. I want you to keep a-hold of this, and go-back to it whenever times get tough. And if your Mother didn't have a problem with you moving-on…..Then neither do I….." Ken trailed-off as Peter practically fell into his arms into a long and tight _'Father-To-Son' _embrace.

"Thank-You so much Dad." Peter told his Father gratefully as he burst into floods of tears.

"That's quite alright Son." Ken replied.

When the pair of them released each-other from the hug, Carla stood-up and placed her hand against Peter's back. "Come-on Sweetheart. Let's go and celebrate eh?" Carl said with a cheeky-wink as the couple headed-out together.

They wandered through the Red-Wreck together. – Hand-In-Hand as Carla text Michelle.

_**Carla: **__Ken's agreed 2 let-us move-out! XxX_

_**Michelle: **__That's Gr8 Babe! Congrats! Xxxxx_

_**Carla: **__Just at the red-wreck celebrating with Peter now. _

Peter went on sat on one of the swings as Carla stood-infront of him. Peter placed his hands round the backs of Carla's legs, slowly rubbing his hands up and down as Carla placed her hands against his shoulders and leaned-down and passionately kissed Peter on the lips.

"Here's to the future then! I can't believe he's letting-us do this Carla!" Peter said excitedly.

Carla moved her hands on either side of Peter's face. "Hey. It's all thanks to your Mum darlin'. It was her letter that convinced-him baby." She told Peter sweetly.

"I know it is…..That's why my Mum & Dad made such a great-team together…..Whereas Dad was very-protective over-me and Susan…..He's still extremely over-protective about-me…..But my Mum was willing to let-us make mistakes. But what they both had this unconditional love for both Me & Susan. And even-though I always argue with my Dad, and call-him a rubbish-Father…..I couldn't have asked for better parents Carla….." Peter told Carla in a quiet-voice.

"Hmmm, I can see how much you miss your Mother and Sister sweetheart. And even though we're growing-up and moving-on…..We'll never leave them behind…..I promise-ya, with all of my heart." Carla said to Peter before she then paused for a couple of seconds. "Come-On then you." She said with a slightly-louder voice this time-around, as she held-out her hands for Peter to take as he stood-up from the swing and then began to walk-home with Carla.

"How about…..We spend the afternoon making the most of your bed, before we go shopping for a double-one for our new-house?!" Carla suggested excitably as they reached Peter's front-door.

Peter smirked mischievously. "Okay then, but we have to be quiet…..The whole-family are home." He joked with a chuckle as Carla shot him a cheeky but seductive and flirtatious smile.

"I'll be so silent you could hear a pin-drop….." Carla trailed-off cheekily as she took a hold of Peter's leather-jacket and gently pushed-him against the wall that ran just next to Peter's front-door before she then placed a gentle kiss against his lips. "Well…..Maybe not a pin…..More-like one of your speakers dropping to the floor….." She said as Peter laughed at her before she caught his lips with hers and kissed him vigorously as she worked his jacket-off-of him.

"Woah….." Peter said, stopping her for a moment. "Maybe we should get to my bedroom first eh?" He joked and Carla giggled at him as she dug her hand into Peter's jeans pocket and fetching the house-front-door-key.

"Let's go then….." Carla told Peter cheekily as she opened the front-door and then practically dragged Peter upstairs with her…..

_**Please-Review! **_


	23. MovingOn

_**This will probably be the last-chapter! – But don't worry, I plan to do more Carla & Peter fics! Thanks to anyone who has reviewed or even if you haven't reviewed but have just followed this fic throughout! One of my better ones I think and I'm quite proud of it! **_

_**1 Month Later. **_

Things had moved-on pretty quickly and moving-in day had finally arrived for Carla and Peter. - Who had just finished preparing their final suitcases for moving-into their new home together! The young-couple stood hand-in-hand together just outside the door of Number One Coronation Street, along with Ken and Deirdre, Peter's parents.

"This is it then baby." Carla said to Peter as Tracy handed-him his final rucksack full of all kinds of things that were in his room.

"Yeah it is….." Peter trailed-off with a content sigh.

"Peterrr….." Tracy interrupted. "I found these in your room too….." She proclaimed cheekily so that half the street would be able to hear her as she produced a box full of condoms and handed them to Peter. Carla just burst into fits of laughter as an embarrassed Peter glanced at his Father, who glared at him, but Ken couldn't help but smile at the situation as he tapped his son on the should twice.

"Oh Baby, maybe we should keep them in a safer place in our new place ey?" Carla said through fits of giggles as she took the box from Peter and then placed-it carefully into the very bottom of her handbag before she then hugged Peter.

"Definitely." Peter replied as he hugged Carla back.

"But in all seriousness now you two, the best of luck ey?" Deirdre said, hugging both Carla and Peter individually before leaving the rest to Ken.

"Thanks Deirdre." Carla and Peter both said to Deirdre, grateful to her for all of her help with all of this.

"Peter….." Ken began as Peter looked-over towards his Father. "What's up Dad?" Peter asked-him. "I just wanted to tell-you that I am so proud of you…..And I that I will always love you…..And I know that your Mother would be saying the same thing if she was here right-now too….." The Father told his Son sweetly as Carla gave Peter's hand a comforting squeeze.

"Thanks Dad. That means a lot. And I'll never forget-you. You or Mum…..I won't even forget Deirdre and Tracy…..Now that is saying something." Peter joked, releasing his hand from Carla's for a second before he then pulled his Dad into a tight embrace. "I love you Dad." Peter said sweetly as he released his Father from the hug and then walked-over to Tracy.

"Come-Here Trace." He said, giving his younger-step-sister a massive-hug. "Thanks for being a little-terror of a Sister. You'll have to come and stay with Me and Carla for a couple of nights in the school holidays." Peter told his Sister kindly.

"As-long as you promise not to have sex whilst I'm around!" Tracy added-on cheekily and Carla and Peter both laughed.

"Well I suppose we could hold-off whilst you were over….." Peter replied before moving-finally onto Deirdre. – Hugging her once-again. "Who am I gonna pinch fags off-of now ey?" Peter Joked. "Thank-You though…..You've been amazing….." He told-her before finally he kissed his first two fingers and then placed them against the Gold coloured "Number One" on the door. "Bye Mum and Susan." Peter began. "I Love You Both…..Always…..And Forever." He finished tearfully as Carla pulled-him in for a hug and a short but meaningful kiss on the lips.

"Come-On Then Baby. Let's Go." Carla said softly as they both said one-last goodbye to Ken, Deirdre and Tracy, before heading to their new-home, which in truth was only half-an-hour's walk-away, but it was a big-step for the young-couple all the same.

That evening, Carla and Peter were cuddled-up on _**their **_sofa together. "This feels so strange….." Carla told Peter quietly as she rested her head against his shoulder and then draped her arm over his stomach.

"Oh Thanks….." Peter joked in reply.

"Oy. I meant in a good-way silly." Carla said as she playfully hit Peter's chest.

"Of-Course you did Baby….." Peter responded as he then leaned-in and kissed the side of Carla's head. "But yeah I know what you mean…..We've got the rest of our lives ahead of us now….." He told her sweetly.

"Yeah. Too right we have…..We can do what we like, when we like…..And there's nothing anyone can do to stop-us!" Carla said positively.

"In that case….." Peter trailed-off as he kissed the side of Carla's neck seductively, but Carla pushed-him-away, knowing what he was suggesting.

"Uh no Peter. Save it for the bedroom tonight okay?" Carla said, cheekily refusing him what he so desperately wanted and finishing her sentence with a seductive-wink that she knew Peter would struggle to resist now that he wanted her so badly.

"Oh Fine Then. So much for doing what we wanted, when we wanted." Peter replied with a mock-strop, folding his arms as a joke.

"Hey we can do darlin'…..Just not _**where **_we want to sweetheart…..And besides…..'We' means both of us have to agree." Carla told-him mischievously as she giggled at his fake-tantrum before she then leaned-into kiss-him passionately on the lips.

"Oh I suppose….." Peter trailed-off before they continued the kissing.

Later-on that evening, Carla text Michelle with a picture of herself and Peter together on _**their **_sofa.

_**Michelle: **__Congrats Bbe. Pass tht on 2 Peter 2. Xxxxx_

_**Carla:**__ Will Do. Thx 'Chelle. U've been a rock 2 me n Peter recently. XxX_

_**Michelle: **__That's wht friends r 4 Bbe. Xxxxx _

_**Carla: **__I suppose they r. U, Paul n Liam will have to come-round soon. U r practically family anyway. XxX_

_**Michelle: **__That'd be gr8 Bbe. And that's true! Sistaaa! Xxxxx _

_**Carla: **__Anyway I've gotta go. I've promised Peter a fun-night ahead. ;-) XxX_

_**Michelle: **__Easy Girl! Hav Fun. C U soon then Bbe. Xxxxx_

_**Carla: **__Bye. XxX _


End file.
